“Declan Burke is his own genre. The Lammisters dazzles, beguiles and transcends. Virtuoso from start to finish.” – Eoin McNamee “This bourbon-smooth riot of jazz-age excess, high satire and Wodehouse flamboyance is a pitch-perfect bullseye of comic brilliance.” – Irish Independent Books of the Year 2019 “This rapid-fire novel deserves a place on any bookshelf that grants asylum to PG Wodehouse, Flann O’Brien or Kyril Bonfiglioli.” – Eoin Colfer, Guardian Best Books of the Year 2019 “The funniest book of the year.” – Sunday Independent “Declan Burke is one funny bastard. The Lammisters ... conducts a forensic analysis on the anatomy of a story.” – Liz Nugent “Burke’s exuberant prose takes centre stage … He plays with language like a jazz soloist stretching the boundaries of musical theory.” – Totally Dublin “A mega-meta smorgasbord of inventive language ... linguistic verve not just on every page but every line.Irish Times “Above all, The Lammisters gives the impression of a writer enjoying himself. And so, dear reader, should you.” – Sunday Times “A triumph of absurdity, which burlesques the literary canon from Shakespeare, Pope and Austen to Flann O’Brien … The Lammisters is very clever indeed.” – The Guardian

Sunday, April 13, 2008

The Best Things In Life Are Free … Books

The CAP reviewing elves are mightily fond of Brian McGilloway’s GALLOWS LANE, the sequel to BORDERLANDS, and thus are delighted to announce that the ever-lovely people at Macmillan have offered three copies of said tome to be given away for free, gratis and sweet-piddle-all. First, the blurb elves:
Taking its title from the name of the road down which condemned Donegal criminals were once led, GALLOWS LANE follows Inspector Benedict Devlin as he investigates a series of gruesome murders in and around the Irish borderlands. When a young woman is found beaten to death on a building site, in what appears to be a sexually-motivated killing, Devlin’s enquiries soon point to a local body-builder and steroid addict. But days later, born-again ex-con James Kerr is found nailed to a tree – crucified – having been released from prison and returned to his hometown to spread the word of God. Increasingly torn between his young family and his job, Devlin is determined to apprehend those responsible for the murders before they strike again, even as the carnage begins to jeopardise those he cares about most. GALLOWS LANE is the heart-stopping follow-up to Brian McGilloway’s acclaimed debut BORDERLANDS.
To be in with a chance of winning a free copy, just answer the following question:
Is Brian McGilloway:
(a) a mild-mannered teacher by day and a hard-bitten noir writer by night?
(b) a mild-mannered noir writer by day and blood-quaffing vampire by night?
(c) only spreading that risible vampire rumour because he fancies some Brian-on-Buffy chop-socky action?
Answers in the comment box with an email contact, please (replacing the @ with (at) for your own peace of mind), before noon on Tuesday, April 15. Et bon chance, mes amis

25 comments:

Gerard Brennan said...

I'm going to say (c), Mr Burke. Fingers crossed. I missed his signing in No Alibis last Thursday and I'm jonesing for a copy of this.

gerardforpresident (at) yahoo.co.uk

gb

Unknown said...

Is Brian McGilloway:

There can only be one answear to this timeless question:

(c) only spreading that risible vampire rumour because he fancies some Brian-on-Buffy chop-socky action?

or it could be:

(a) a mild-mannered teacher by day and a hard-bitten noir writer by night?

But, honestly I like (C)best for my response

Unknown said...

Oops, forgot the E-mail

rawsonkeith(at)gmail.com

my answear is still C

Anonymous said...

Hi GRAND Vizier!!

I'm gonna say 'c' 'cos some Brian-on-Buffy chop-socky action sure would brighten up all our days.

The e-mail is darraghhayden@hotmail.com by the way.
Cheery bye

Anonymous said...

Silly me giving you the wrong @.

E-mail should be
darraghhayden(at)hotmail.com

Bye bye...

Anonymous said...

Silly me giving you the wrong @.

E-mail should be
darraghhayden(at)hotmail.com

Bye bye...

Anonymous said...

The Devlin inside, the Devlin inside, every single one of us got the Devlin inside.....

Mick

More of a Willow man, though I'll settle for Buffy in a pinch

Anonymous said...

i like the sound of (b)
maybe i'm glad i missed the signing at No Alibis if there are vampires involved...
if i don't win will have to buy from david!
Allen McKay

allenmckay(at)hotmail.com

colman said...

(C)
colman.keane at itabuk.com

David Baynham said...

a) though he writes like c)

djbaynham(a)aol.com

Declan Burke said...

Erm, cheers for all the comments, people ... but where the blummin' hell are all the bribes of scotch whisky and Jack Daniel's pecan pie? Eh?

colman said...

Right, I'll up the ante.......I have a couple of manky tangerines in my desk drawer, plus an out of date cup-a-soup.....if you're big on Thai style chicken....the books mine.........fuck it.... I'll throw in the minestrone WITH croutons, you handsome devil, you

Declan Burke said...

That's the spirit, Colman ... you've the whole bribes-and-flattery thing down cold. In principle, at least ... Cheers, Dec

Gerard Brennan said...

I've got some duty free Jameson with only a few glasses taken from it. I'll leave you half of what's left?

gb

Declan Burke said...

Gerard, man - half of what's left. I love it. Consider yourself in pole position ... Cheers, Dec

David Baynham said...

Dec, Ireland is a long way off but I have a great recipe for a Kentucky Pie made with pecans and bourbon-remember the Kentucky Derby is coming up soon!

Fiona said...

Lawwwwlis, Mr Baynham's peddling your pie!
Ironically, Dec, I'm putting my name in the hat again here because so many of my relatives are Devlins from the border areas and I would love a copy to surprise (or terrorise) them with. Brian McGilloway certainly appears mild-mannered in his photographs, but as he ponders in his chat with you back in February, could it be a killer who shakes hands with you during the sign of peace at mass in Armagh, Derry or Letterkenny? On ne sait jamais. Having said all that, he's a guy, so C again.
noenic(at)gmail.com

Josh Schrank said...

Dec.... We bribers are a loyal lot. What say I buy you a bag of crisps and a coke next time I'm in town, eh?

Declan Burke said...

A nice spot, Fiona - Mr Baynham will have to be reported to the Bribes and Slush Fund watchdog immediately. David? You have been warned ... Josh, I'm well impressed with your persistence. Stay tuned ... Cheers, Dec

Patricia said...

Brian McGilloway: (a) a mild-mannered teacher by day and a hard-bitten noir writer by night.

Born again ex-con? Body-builder steroid addict? Carnage? Sounds fantastic!

I'd love it...patriciajhale(at)aol.com.

Anonymous said...

My choice is A.

Though C is a close runner up and sounds like more fun. :)

Kathy
katkiley at aol.com

Anonymous said...

I'll go for a. But b sounds so much more appealing.

milkfloatquack (at) hotmail.com

Unknown said...

Once again, I'm offering up cash. Think about it, Dec, you cand buy all the JD Pie and booze you want with cash. Plus, think of Lily, if she's anything like my little girl, I'm sure she's burning through the diapers. I'll even offer it up in Euros!

Anonymous said...

Hi Dec

a is the most technically correct answer but the other two sound fascinating.

Thanks
Fiona

fiona.mccartney(at)oceanfree.net

Josh Schrank said...

I've no doubt that this won't be read by many, however if any poor soul who happens upon it knows the answer, a bewildered colonialist would appreciate your insight. What exactly are the Irish borderlands?