From the Bookshelf of Around The World…

The Guards (Jack Taylor, #1)

Ken Bruen

Start date: September 18, 2016

Finish date: September 20, 2016

Why we're reading this: The Guards>by Ken Bruen
Jack Taylor series Book #1
3 ★’s

From the Book:
Still stinging from his unceremonious…more
[close] The Guards>by Ken Bruen
Jack Taylor series Book #1
3 ★’s

From the Book:
Still stinging from his unceremonious ouster from the Garda Siochana--The Guards, Ireland's police force--and staring at the world through the smoky bottom of his beer mug, Jack Taylor is stuck in Galway with nothing to look forward to. In his sober moments Jack aspires to become Ireland's best private investigator, not to mention its first--Irish history, full of betrayal and espionage, discourages any profession so closely related to informing. But in truth Jack is teetering on the brink of his life's sharpest edges, his memories of the past cutting deep into his soul and his prospects for the future nonexistent. Nonexistent, that is, until a dazzling woman walks into the bar with a strange request and a rumor about Jack's talent for finding things. Odds are he won't be able to climb off his barstool long enough to get involved with his radiant new client, but when he surprises himself by getting hired, Jack has little idea of what he's getting into.

My Thoughts:
Jack Taylor is the tough cop who loves books; the beating victim who insists on checking himself out of a hospital too soon…everyone’s and no one ones friend. The Irish seaside city of Galway is the setting for all of these books. Sometimes you can’t figure out if Bruen loves the town or hates it…but he has certainly put it on the literary map. His character of Jack Taylor is Galway born and bred and is such an unusual character. Taylor is a former member of the Garda Síochána, the Guards, Ireland's shadowy police force. Drink…not an unusual thing in Ireland… and general attitude has gotten Jack removed from their ranks and this has not made him exactly a bosom pal to the rest of the Guards. To support himself and also if the truth is told…his habit…Jack takes on the role of a private detective.

I have read several of the other books in this series and found them to be much better than this first attempt which is often the case. If I had not ROO (read out of order) and this had been the first one that I had read…I fear it would have also been the last one. It’s full of very predictable, standard crime novel cop cliques and several very nasty characters. Jack Taylor goes from a drunken cop to a drunken P.I. that meets his clients in a bar and laces his morning breakfast…also in the bar… with coffee. The one thing this book served to do was build the character of Jack Taylor…a man tormented by his demons and searching for something that seems to have evaded him his entire life. Believe me when I say that the series does get better and even Jack shows some promise.

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

No group discussions for this book yet.

What Members Thought

Oct 29, 2018 Rachel N. marked it as to-read

Jul 29, 2016 Sushicat marked it as to-read

1 like · Like

Jun 16, 2017 Connie D marked it as to-read

Group Home Bookshelf Discussions

Photos Videos

Send invite Members Polls