The Priest

Mulcahy #1

by Gerard O'Donovan

The first in a series of Dublin-based mysteries introducing Inspector Mike Mulcahy, who is pitched into a deadly battle with a diabolical villain.

His name is the Priest. His weapon is a crucifix. His victims don't have a prayer. A killer is stalking the dark streets of Dublin. Before each attack, he makes the sign of the cross; then he sends his victims to God. After a foreign politican's daughter is brutally assaulted and left for dead, her body branded with burns from a blazing cross, the case falls to Detective Inspector Mike Mulcahy. Mulcahy is one tough cop, but this crime is beyond comprehension - and The Priest is a nemesis more evil and elusive than any Mulcahy has ever faced: an angel of death with a soul dark as hell. As a media frenzy erupts and the city reels in terror, Mulcahy teams up with ambitious journalist Siobhan Fallon in a desperate bid to stop The Priest in his tracks before he can complete his divine mission of murder.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Crime, Fiction, Ireland, Audiobook, Suspense

374 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Gerard O’Donovan was born in Cork and grew up in Dublin. After a brief career in the Irish civil service he travelled widely, working as a barman, bookseller, gherkin-bottler, philosophy tutor, and English teacher before settling down to make a living as a journalist and critic for, among others, The Sunday Times and The Daily Telegraph. In 2007 he was shortlisted for the Crime Writers' Association’s prestigious Debut Dagger competition.

Reviews

[Sven · Rating 4 out of 5]

O ‘Donovan is een Ierse auteur die zijn carrière startte bij de douane. Maar hij was ook barman, boekhandelaar en docent filosofie en Engels.
Met Kruisiging schreef hij in tweeduizendentien zijn debuut. Het is ook het eerste deel van een reeks rond rechercheur Mulcahy.
Het verhaal
In Dublin worden verschillende jonge dames gevonden die gruwelijk toegetakeld werden. De dader wordt al snel de priester genoemd omdat hij altijd een kruis maakt vooraleer hij tot de aanval overgaat. Als de dochter van een Spaanse diplomaat aangevallen wordt zet men inspecteur Mulcahy op de zaak. Vooral het feit dat de meisjes gebrandmerkt worden met een crucifix laat de media op hol slaan. De stad raakt in de ban van een algemene paniek. Mulcahy moet de dader zo vlug mogelijk oppakken, maar krijgt hij wel de juiste steun?
Mijn gedacht
Piet Dal uit Eindhoven nam de vertaling van dit boek voor zijn rekening. Hij zorgde ervoor dat in het Nederlands het verhaal nog altijd vloeiend te lezen is.
De spanning in dit boek is ideaal. Het blijft doorheen het boek altijd op niveau. Er wordt voor gezorgd dat je als lezer meegesleurd wordt in het verhaal. Naarmate het einde van het boek nadert wordt die spanning toch nog opgedreven om het verhaal te kunnen beëindigen met een slot die er wel mag zijn.
In het slot zijn er wel bepaalde zaken die tijdens het verhaal naar boven komen waar een antwoord of vervolg wel gemist wordt. Neem zoals bijvoorbeeld het tegenwerken dat Mulcahy van collega’s moet verdragen zonder gevolg.
De personages die gecreëerd worden zijn niet de minste. Ze zijn perfect gebalanceerd in hun uitwerking zodat ze maximaal renderen in dit verhaal. Vooral met Mulcahy is de connectie er wel snel. De rest valt ook goed te smaken maar de connectie is ondergeschikt dan die van Mulcahy.
Conclusie
Voor een debuut is dit een thriller die zeker zijn plek mag hebben op de leesplank van thriller liefhebbers. Een goeie dosis spanning met een hoofdpersonage die kan tellen en een verhaal die je in het echt niet wilt meemaken.

[Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weighing in at a hefty 500 pages, Gerard O’Donovan’s “The Priest” is a captivating and fast paced thriller that will leave you begging for more. Without question, “The Priest” is an outstanding first instalment (in a new series) featuring Inspector Mike Mulcahy and journalist Siobhan Fallon.

Shortlisted for the 2007 Crime Writers’ Association’s “Debut Dagger” competition, the Irish journalist, born in Cork and brought up in Dublin, has certainly left his mark with a gritty and character driven novel.

His name is the priest… his weapon is a crucifix… his victims don’t have a prayer…

Jesica Salazar, a diplomat’s 16 year old daughter has been sent, along with her school friends, to Dublin by her father (Don Alfonso) to experience a different way of life. Her father, a powerful and wealthy Spanish politician, is convinced she will be safe in Ireland. After all Ireland is a Catholic country, what could possibly go wrong in just two weeks?

“I thought it would be good for her, you see. To get away from me for a few weeks, from the bustle of politics that surrounds us, to see how ordinary people live”.

When the body of a young girl is discovered, battered and bruised and left for dead, the sex crimes unit launch an immediate investigation. Claire Brogan heads the unit and has her own way of doing things. When Mulcahy is ordered to join the investigation, the tight unit make it clear he is unwelcome. Rushed to hospital and in a serious condition, the victim of the brutal assault is identified as Jesica Salazar.

Complete Review on my blog http://www.milorambles.com/2010/10/19...

[Deb · Rating 1 out of 5]

Loved the premise of this book. The plot could have been brilliant if backed up by sound writing and characters that the reader could learn to know. It's flat, bland and ultimately a terrible read. When will Irish journalists learn that they can't all be John Connolly? Very disappointing.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enjoyable read by another first time to me author. One of my favorite settings, Dublin. And an excellent story of religion gone wrong and the Garda Siochana's efforts to find the villain. The protagonist, Inspector Mike Mulcahy is in the mold of such as Rebus of the Ian Rankin series. I am looking forward to O'Donovan's next Inspector Mulcahy, Dublin Dead.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book should come with a warning sticker: "Do not open if you want to get anything done today". It's the first of a series featuring Dublin Inspector Mike Mulcahy & is compulsive reading.
Mike has spent the last few years as part of a drug squad in Spain for Interpol. Now he's back in his home town working for the Garde once again. Through a series of events he gets seconded to Sex Crimes after the brutal assault of a teenage girl. He also rekindles his friendship with Siobhan Fallon, a determined reporter for the Sunday Herald.
Soon they're both swept up in the hunt for a deranged man who becomes known as "The Priest". He earned his nickname by chanting the Lord's Prayer while inflicting the victims' bodies with cross shaped burns. As the assaults continue, police feel the heat from an outraged city, fed in part by the sensational articles in Siobhan's paper. 
This is a book that sneaks up on you. It begins with more of a focus on Mike & his situation. Something happened in Spain & although the author drops tidbits throughout the book, we never do get the whole story. He's in limbo without a permanent posting at work & living in his parent's old house.
Through his eyes, we get to know Dublin. This is post Celtic Tiger & the brief shiny period of prosperity has given way to the tarnished reality of abandoned construction projects & rising unemployment. The atmospheric descriptions make it easy to picture, rendering the city a major character in the story. 
There is a central cast of well rounded characters. Some might seem familiar: the politic superintendent, the hardass female inspector, a surly DS nursing a grudge, the returning cop who's now an outsider. But they all come across as authentic thanks to the author's clean prose & taut dialogue.
The pacing is bang on. After the second attack, there is a subtle shift as the tension builds until you're turning the pages as fast as you can to reach the inevitable showdown. About halfway through, the identity of the Priest becomes evident but even that doesn't diminished the suspense. This is effortless reading, so smooth & evocative that you feel like you're walking the streets with Mike & his colleagues.
There are several subplots that flesh out the story & Mike's character. He's a likeable man...smart, intuitive & flawed. In darker moments, you sense his regret for past mistakes & frustration over his current situation. He may not always play by the rules but he's a guy you'd want at your back.
Smart, scary, gripping...they all apply. And now, since I spent the day reading & no magic elves came to do the laundry & dishes, I really have to go. 

[Marc Leroux · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book while browsing at The Strand in NYC. I've been reading (and been quite impressed with) a number of Irish authors over the past couple of years, including Tana French, Benjamin Black and Declan Hughes, and decided to give this Dublin set thriller a shot. I'm glad I did.
The story centers on teenaged girls being attacked and molested in Dublin. It is told from the perspectives of two protagonists. Mike Mulcahy is a Dublin police officer, who's career has been with the Drug Enforcement squad. He has recently returned from a multi-year assignment with Europol in Spain. The first girl that is attacked is the daughter of a high ranking Spanish government official, who is in Dublin on an English immersion course. Mike is assigned to the sexual crimes division, a fate close to death as far as most people in the Dublin Garda are concerned, as an interpreter.
Siobhan Fallon, a reporter for a Dublin weekly, knew Mike before he went to Spain, and their acquaintanceship becomes a relationship when they reconnect at a party. Although there is secrecy concerning the attack on the Spanish girl, Siobhan receives some leaked information from the Garda, and breaks the story. This turns Siobhan into a national celebrity, but hurts Mikes position in the Spanish police.
The outcome is predictable, but has a number of interesting twists. Gerard O’Donovan makes Dublin come alive, and instills realism into the story; his characters have doubts and second thoughts. This was a good, entertaining read, and I can't wait to get hold of Dublin Dead.

[Paul Pessolano · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dublin's police have a real problem on their hands. A daughter of a well-to-do Spanish politician, Jesica Salazar, is a victim of a brutual attack. Although badly beaten and scarred, she is alive but traumatized.

Mike Mulcahy is brought into the case. Mulcahy is from the drug enforcement division but has been assigned to the sexual assault division when he unexpectedly returns from an assignment with Europol in Spain.

It is found that Jesica was not only beaten badly but branded over her body with a crucifix.

A newspaper reporter, Siobhan Fallon, works for what might be considered a tabloid and sees this as her opportunity to advance her career. She becomes a "good" friend of Mulcahy. Siobhan is also receiving inside information about the case from an unknown source.

There are several good suspects but the police cannot get enought evidence on anyone to prosecute.

The pressure for an arrest increases when more young women turn up beaten and branded in much the same way. The pressure esculates when one of the young ladies is found dead.

Mulcahy feels that the attacks are not only sexually motivated but have something to do with religion as all the girls have had a religious medal ripped from their necks.

Siobhan and Mulcahy become unwilling partners using information they both have to bring the killer, now dubbed, "The Priest", to justice.

Mulcahy finds himself in a race against time to save Siobhan when she is targeted as the next victim of "The Priest".

Although it will not be difficult to finger the killer, it still remains a highly entertaining mystery.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the premise of the story was pretty good, promising, but it was just the execution that let this book down. For a start most of the middle section was completely redundant, the book would not have lost any of the plot development by taking it out. It seemed like we just meandered along, not really learning anything new at all until the last twenty or so pages where it all kicked off. Another thing that disappointed was that the killer was exactly who you thought it was, no twist that had you gasping, it was all, 'oh what a surprise, the man who they've spent the entire book postulating might be the killer, is in fact the killer' which was a real let down. Lastly the front cover says, meet the Dublin serial killer... in a dramatic fashion, when they killer is not a serial killer at all, one person died and the definition of a serial killer is that they kill three or more. So the entire book was started on a lie. Poor.

[Sarina Morrhaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eerste boek wat ik van deze schrijver gelezen heb en wat een goed gevoel heb ik hieraan overgehouden. Het verhaal zit heel goed in elkaar, met personages van allerlei karakters die elk heel goed hun rol vervullen. Doorheen het boek word je meegenomen op de zoektocht naar de moordenaar waarin je voelt dat Mulcahy tegen gewerkt wordt, niet geloofd of vertrouwd wordt. De gruwel en martelpraktijken die de auteur hier neerschrijft, hoop je nooit mee te moeten maken.
En nu op zoek naar het volgende deel in deze reeks.

[Jason Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this. The characters were great - Mulcahy the cop is likable without being soft, journo Siobhan Fallon is smart and on the right side of ruthless - and the Dublin setting is as authentic as it gets. It flies along from the very first page, dragging you in and keeping you gripped all the way through. Easily one of the best from the current crop of new Irish crime writers - a top read.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping. It kept me hooked from start to finish which is why I'm writing this review in the early hours...
I thought Mulcahy was a great character and I loved Siobhan, the plot rattled on at a fair old pace with enough twists and turns to keep you hooked. The writing was really atmospheric and wonderfully descriptive of Dublin. It's difficult to believe it's a debut novel and I very much look forward to reading his next book.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written mystery. I like that the detective (Mulcahy) has experience and his feet in two countries, Ireland and Spain. The fact that he can speak Spanish and knows their culture helps him with his investigations of murder in Dublin.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel. I stumbled on it at my public library and picked it up because it was set in Ireland, a place that I just visited for the 1st time. I liked the Mulcahy character and would like to see more of him. I recommend it.

[Randy Hass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally, I’m a reader of non-fiction books, but during a visit to an independent bookseller, Mystery Lovers Bookstore, I purchased this book and left it on my shelf. During this pandemic, I thought I would give it a shot.

This book grabbed me from the first page and kept me going back to it. I don’t want to spoil the suspense, but suffice it to say it involves a series of grisly sexual attacks that has a religious backdrop. Our protagonist, Inspector Mike Mulcahy, who normally works in drug investigations but has been assigned to the sex crime unit, works with sometimes hostile detectives to find the perpetrator. In the course of it, he befriends a tabloid reporter, Siobhan Fallon, with shall we say, interesting results.

There are twists and turns, and I guarantee you won’t be bored. It’s a great read. I’m already searching for Gerard O’Donovan’s next novel, Dublin Dead. I might getting into these mysteries!

[Ciara K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping, graphic, horrible but amazing all at once. I started and read this all in the one day I just couldn’t put the book down. The twists and turns, the determination of one guy and his hunch. The detail of the attacks and the horrific nature of it all was appalling but intriguing all at once. After the history of the Catholic Church in Ireland, the abuse and some of the people involved; it honestly wouldn’t surprise me if there was a character like “The Priest” out there. Truly spectacular story

[Rita Gorra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful book where you like the road to the end, and are not at the edge of your seat, skimming to get to the end. I hope there are more. I was very interested in our hero and I was surprised by how he handles each roadblock. The story wasn't overly dramatic, but very engaging. I am looking forward to more stories like this.

[Chris · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was such a struggle to read. The story ambled on at a snails pace, characters were bland and stereotypical. Even the blurb at the back is horribly misleading, which was the only reason I bought the book. Overall this book was quite disappointing and I would suggest staring clear of Gerrard O'Donovan novels and especially The Priest

[Jo Baalham-Curry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't the style I'd normally read but was chosen by our reading group.
It was well written and I enjoyed the writing style.
I found I couldn't put it down and wanted to know what was going to happen.
For me it ended very quickly and left me wondering answers.
Would read more again by same author.

[Bart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot, it was really very good. But the rhythm of the book was off somehow. It was very choppy. And I thought the ending was almost banal it was so predictable.

But there’s so much to like in this first book in what I believe is already a series. So I’m going to keep reading.

[Jacob Olszanski · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read. I loved the accent of the narrative on Audible.

[Kin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ottimo.buoni i personaggi, la vicenda, i colpi di scena.Tutto ben articolato.

[Susan Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read! Love the 2 main characters, Inspector Mike Mulcahy and reporter Siobhan Fallon. I appreciate their relationship "challenges". Great detecting and investigating on both sides.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a top notch gripping read I loved it

[anonymousreader]

to-read

[Joop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absoluut de moeite waard. Spannend tor het eind.

[Lezers van bibliotheek de Priool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review door een lezer van bibliotheek 'de Priool' - Bocholt

[Elena Zavarise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ritrovamento di una ragazza con segni di bruciature fatte con la croce . Polizia alla ricerca del maniaco che uccide o brucia la pelle delle ragazze sempre con la croce . Lettura veloce bellissimo

[stacey prentice · Rating 3 out of 5]

an enjoyable crime thriller.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gerard O’Donovan’s first novel is definitely an attention-getter. The title of the book, THE PRIEST, which is set in Ireland, suggests another look among hundreds of the scandal and criminal actions of members of the Catholic church. It isn’t. The priest of the title isn’t a priest at all.

Inspector Matthew Mulcahy has just returned to Dublin after years on the drug squad with Europol. He had made a life in Spain, loving the bright sun and the mild weather that kept the streets of Madrid alive, bursting with life. Mulcahy loved his job and was far from pleased when the recession led to a re-structuring of the drug unit and a reassessment of the number of police needed to keep it functioning. Mulcahy, despite his fluency in Spanish, was superfluous to requirements and found himself back in Ireland without a specific assignment. There are rumors that a new national drug squad is to be established in Cork and Mulcahy hopes his resume will get him back to what he wants to do.

In the meantime, he is something of a jack-of-all-trades. That changes when Mulcahy is required for his Spanish skills. The daughter of a high-ranking minister in the Spanish government has been brutally attacked. Despite the extent of her injuries, she needs to be interviewed and Mulcahy finds himself assigned to the sexual assault unit, not where he wants his career to go. But Jesica Salazar is terrified and traumatized and the police need whatever information she can give them.

Mulcahy goes slowly with the girl, taking his time. Jesica’s injures are horrific. She has been beaten but more unsettling are the terrible burns all over her body. Mulcahy can’t get much information from her but she tells him that the man was like a priest. He was dressed in black, he had a large crucifix, and he gave her a blessing, using his hands just as a priest does. And he took the cross she always wore around her neck, the cross that belonged to her mother before she died.

Mulcahy examines the photos of Jesica’s body and is stunned when he realizes that the burns were made my holding a hot, metal cross on her body. Jesica was not raped in the usual manner and Mulcahy doubts it was a sexual assault. He thinks the elements indicate that the assailant is a religious fanatic. Mulcahy has been foisted on Inspector Claire Brogan’s team and she does not want to hear any alternative theories to suggest it wasn’t a sexual assault. Mulcahy persists and finds himself maneuvered out of the information loop.

When more victims are discovered, the police are confronted with a serial attacker who doesn’t kill his victims. He wants them to suffer and he wants them to live with the damage he does to them, physically and psychologically. Then one of the victims dies from the trauma of the attack, and the game changes. Mulcahy isn’t going to let this case go so he decides to work on his own or, at least, he thinks he is alone until Siobhan Fallon, a reporter for a weekend tabloid, decides “the priest” is the story that is going to make her career.

THE PRIEST is a police procedural that is true to form and, because it is, it is a book that the reader will not want to put down. Matt Mulcahy is a terrific character to add to the other great Irish detectives – Brian McGilloway’s Benedict Devlin, Paul Charles’ Inspector Starrett, and Declan Hughes’ Ed Loy. Siobhan Fallon is a bit annoying, but she improves as the story unfolds.

O’Donovan is a Dubliner so the setting is brought to life, neighborhoods of the city made distinct. The book is definitely one that reflects the time, now. Ireland is no longer under the control of the Catholic church. The men of the church have done their worst but O’Donovan looks at the real country and reminds readers that crime by other deviants and monsters still continues.