'Gallows Lane' is Brian McGilloway's 2nd in his Inspector Devlin series and the last I'll read. It's a decent procedural (although with some glaring dumb spots) and not a bad book, but ultimately the writing is just too bland. It's the Irish equivalent of Sgt. Joe Friday narrating a Dragnet episode in book form.

Borderlands, McGilloway's first, was marginally more interesting in that it was more 'Irish' and had a bit more rogue-ish behavior on Devlin's part. In Gallow's Lane, he has a few 'outside-the-lines' efforts that are mostly just dumb (ie. planting evidence at a rich guy's house which, almost anyone would guess, has video surveillance) and some chaste interaction with his female partner, but that's about the extent of it. The procedural aspects of the plot are fine, but the writing just doesn't cut it. ( )

This has to be the only crime book I've read where "moobs" are a key plot point!
This one felt cosier than the first Inspector Devlin, and the inspector a bit cosier and more goody two shoes; his idea of falsifying evidenceis to drop a religious pamphlet through an open car window. A little too much coincidence, but some nice descriptions. ( )

It's summertime in the Irish borderlands, and the Donegal summer dawns surprisingly hot for Garda Inspector Benedict Devlin. Inspector Devlin returns to the border separating Donegal from the North of Ireland, waiting for a notorious ex-con named James Kerr to return home on early release. He claims to have found God while in prison, but Superintendent Costello - the superintendent of police, isn't taking any chances with the born-again Christian's fount of newfound grace. Inspector Devlin's orders are to escort him to the northern side of the border and make absolutely certain that he stays out of the superintendent's jurisdiction.

When a young woman is found beaten to death at a building site in what appears to be a sexually-motivated killing, Benedict is distracted from his assignment of keeping tabs on James Kerr. Inspector Devlin's investigation into the murder soon leads him to a local bodybuilder and steroid addict. But as the body count increases, with each murder more gruesome than the last, the born-again ex-convict is found nailed to a tree - crucified.

Increasingly torn between his young family and the rigors of his job, Benedict is determined to apprehend the killer - or killers - before they strike again, even as the carnage begins to jeopardize those he cares about most. Taking its title from the name of the road down which condemned Donegal criminals were once led, Gallows Lane is a virtuoso piece of writing from crime fiction's most exciting new talent. It is a sharp, modern thriller, a stunning second installment in Brian McGilloway's Inspector Benedict Devlin Series; and a heart-stopping follow-up to his acclaimed debut Borderlands.

I really enjoyed reading this book; I immediately liked the character of Inspector Benedict Devlin, he seemed like such a nice person. I also enjoyed the various mentions of the towns in Ireland, it really brought back some wonderful memories for me. If I had one issue with Mr. McGilloway's story, it would be that there were so many characters involved, that I had just the slightest trouble keeping all their names straight in my mind. However, that might be because of my own personal reading concentration. Overall, I would give this book an A! ( )

3.5 stars

This is book #2 in the DI Ben Devlin series & continues where the last one left off. Ben is stationed in Lifford, one of the towns that sit along the border between the south & British ruled north.There is a cast of returning characters & although it helps if you know the history behind their relationships, its
not necessary to read the first book to enjoy this.
As usual, there are several concurrent story lines. Ben's boss Superintendent "Olly" Costello is retiring & wants to go out with a clean desk. He laso wants Ben to apply for his job.
First up, a convicted bank robber has returned to town after serving his time & Costello wants him politely escorted back across the border. But James Kerr convinces Ben he's found God & only wants a few days to meet with old friends. Bad decision. Kerr's past is about to catch up with him.
Next, figure out who's responsible for the brutal murder of a young woman found on a building site. She was literally beaten to death & Ben and his partner Caroline have never seen anything like it.
Meanwhile, colleagues Patterson & Colhoun have found another stash of illegal guns & drugs & are quickly becoming the media darlings of the department. Are they really that lucky/good at their jobs? Ben & Patterson can't stand each other & his suspicions about their "finds" isn't helping. Neither is the fact Patterson is also applying for Olly's job.
But Ben sets that aside when, in quick succession, he has to deal with a hanging, a crucifixion & another serious assault. As icing on the cake, he learns one of the people interviewing him for the big job is an old flame & let's just say it didn't end well. And when he receives a bullet in the mail, what's a guy to do but begin having panic attacks?
Ben has more than a full plate in this instalment. Before it's all over, the body count rises significantly & Ben and Caroline both face personal danger. Because of the location, the impact & fallout from The Troubles is never very far away & many of the characters have secrets they'd rather stay buried.
One subplot provides us with a look inside Ben's home life. With 2 small children, his wife Debbie is getting tired of Ben constantly taking chances & being threatened. You can certainly understand her point but I found Debbie a hard person to like. She comes across as oddly detached & cool toward Ben, even as he begins to fall apart. We never get to hear her side of things as she has a minor role.
Ben is an interesting character. He's a man who takes his job & faith seriously & his integrity is tested when he considers some questionable acts to ensure a suspect's arrest. He adores his family but has to rethink his career when events put his children at risk.
I had a couple of issues with the plot. First, it's so jam packed with murders & assaults it makes you wonder why more residents aren'e packing up & leaving. In places, the cops are literally running from one crime scene to the next. The author does a good job of slowly revealing all the connections & motives but ye Gods, these are bloodthirsty people. Second, for someone who is a DI, Ben seems to take a lot of unnecessary risks & makes rookie mistakes that have fatal consequences for others. If I lived there, I'd avoid him like the plague.
Still, because the story is told in his voice, we are privy to his thoughts & feelings and this makes him a sympathetic character. Others in the cast are well described & dialogue flows smoothly. There's a lot going on here so the author has his hands full bringing it all to a resolution.
At the end, some members of the force face big changes on the job & no doubt this is something that will be explored in the next book. I'd like to see fewer major investigations so there is space for more character development. If you're a fan of Peter Robison, Graham Hurley or Peter James, you'll probably enjoy this. ( )

Inspector Devlin gets strict instructions from his boss, DCI Costello, to send Jamie Kerr back across the border. He doesn't and what follows is one busted investigation after another. Devlin makes a lot of mistakes, chases rabbits down the wrong warren hole, and generally misses the boat (overdid the metaphors, I think, but you get the picture. Nevertheless, he's a very sympathetic character.

The plot revolves around several seemingly unconnected events: the brutal unrequited rape of several girls, a bank robbery that happened years before, and an old IRA weapons cache that was discovered on some ground

The answer to the puzzle lies in knowing what "moobs" are and what causes them. At least partly. ( )