ALL THE DEAD VOICES

Ed Loy returns from years of living in the U.S. in this Dublin “noir.” At the request of a beautiful woman, he takes on a fifteen-year-old murder case, which involves the IRA, Brits, and police, who all contribute to muddying the clues. Hughes peppers the story with hilarious witticisms about Irish-Americans. They chose the New World without leaving behind the Old, he says, and then mercilessly mocks this stereotype. The violent story borders on melodrama and is filled with vulgar language, and Stanley Townsend delivers it without pulling any punches. That’s not necessarily a bad thing as listening to Townsend is like being regaled with tales of machismo by the guy on the next bar stool. Best of all, there’s a TOTALLY unexpected conclusion. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2010]