Turncoat by Anthony J Quinn

Release: March 1, 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: No Exit
Source: Random Things Tours
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N.

The sole survivor of a murderous ambush, a Belfast police detective,, desperately searches for a mysterious informer. This takes him to a holy island on Lough Derg, a place shrouded in strange mists and hazy rain, where nothing is as it first appears to be.

A keeper of secrets and a purveyor of lies, the detective finds himself in the midst of enemies in pilgrim attire. And he draws himself deeper into the mysteries of the purgatorial island. Here he comes in face to face with a series of disturbing secrets and ghosts in his own life.

Haunting and unsettling, Turncoat is a story of guilt, survival, and the terrible price of self-knowledge told through the voice of a detective with a double life. Descending into paranoia and self-doubt, he uncovers a sinister panorama of cover-ups and conspiracies. The closer he edges to the truth, he draws himself deeper into the currents of power, violence, and guilt engulfing his country . . .

About the Author:

Anthony J. Quinn is an Irish writer and journalist. The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Independent, and many others acclaimed his nine novels. On the shortlist for a Strand Literary Award in the United States by the book critics of the San Francisco Chronicle, The LA Times, The Washington Post, and other US newspapers were his debut novel Disappeared. Kirkus Reviews listed it as one of the top ten thrillers of 2012. After its UK publication in 2014, Daily Mail and The Sunday Times selected Disappeared as one of their Best Novels of the Year. Again it was on the long-list for Theakston’s Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year.

In 2014, The Northern Ireland Arts Council awarded him an ACES bursary for literature. Also, he lives in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, with his wife, Clare, and four children. He is represented by Paul Feldstein of the Feldstein Literary Agency.

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Turncoat Review:

The author makes the story gripping from the first page as we view the incident that changes Maguire’s life. He did a brilliant job of portraying the emotions of the characters. Maguire is magnetic as the lead. He is conflicted with his inner demons and sins and keeps contemplating if he could have done things better. At times, I felt sorry for him because of Perpetua’s nonchalance towards him and how Marley badgers him. Also, it was interesting to see the conflicting emotions that Maguire has over trusting and chasing Ruby.

Moreover, the author dynamically wrote the supporting characters, and this was the highlight of the book. For instance, the scenes where Pearson questions if his actions of spying on Maguire is valid or not are interesting. Furthermore, the characters have their ulterior motives, and you never really know who to trust, like Pearson. Like the pilgrims, priests, and nuns, even the islands’ inhabitants all seem suspicious, including Marley at times. Speaking of which, I loved the setting of the author. The author paints Station Island as a mysterious and haunting place, and it gave the story an edge.

Some of the scenes are memorable and stand out in the tale, like when Maguire finds the secret door that he feels might lead him to Ruby or thinks he sees Ruby in Station Island. The story paces well till the climax, where the author shocks the reader with revelations of the deception and secrets. The ending is bittersweet, which made the story memorable.

Overall, “Turncoat” is one of those books that slowly creeps on you and personally connects you to the character. I enjoyed reading it! I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.