Book reviews

Irish Stew!
Andrew Greeley Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
Andrew Greeley Books
New book search
Andrew Greeley Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of Irish Stew!
"

Forge, Mar 2002, 25.95, 303 pp.
ISBN: 0312871880

    Dermot Michael Coyne accompanies his wife Nuala Anne McGrail as she performs at the Celtic international music festival in Milan. While in Italy, Dermot and Nuala Anne meet fellow Chicago resident Seamus Costelloe and his family. After unceremoniously dumping Seamus into the pool for insulting his wife, Dermot and Nuala Anne agree to joining the Costelloe brood for dinner. Nuala Anne noticed the mark of death on Seamus, a blowhard with many enemies not all in organized crime.

    Meanwhile the couples' daughter hears the explosion associated with the Windy City's Haymarket Riot. The only problem is that the incident occurred over a century ago. To provide solace to his daughter who believes that someone is crying for fairness through her, Dermot tries to uncover the truth over who really started the riot. Meanwhile Nuala Anne, perhaps being the only person to see any good in Seamus, tries to keep him alive as she believes that is why her Irish fey powers gave her the sign.

    The latest Nuala Anne tale is a fun to read story because the two lead characters are a delight to watch in action even if she is a too perfect Irish goddess. The dual story lines require leaps of faith as the audience will struggle with why Nuala Anne feels obligated to protect Seamus and why Dermot believes he must solve the Haymarket Riot mystery. Still fans of Andrew M. Greeley's “Irish” series and those paranormal cozy readers who can forgive the chasm between the first and second dominos of the plot will dine on IRISH STEW.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Irish Stew!
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 60%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%




Tone of story - very upbeat
How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 60%
Kind of investigator - skilled citizen investigator
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot? - feelings towards family/friends
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - musician
Has special powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character: - can read emotions - mind reading - can see into the future
How much violence does he/she use? - none
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - killer
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - revenge
The antagonists are: - US mafia
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - Italy

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
How many deaths? - 0 (not a murder mystery)
Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Most similar books to Irish Stew!
Trophy Widow by Michael A. Kahn
The Dead Survivors by K.J. Erickson
The Lonely Dead by Michael Marshall Smith
Death Gets A Time-Out by Ayelet Waldman
Murder Plays House by Ayelet Waldman


Click here for more information about this book




Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Thriller/Action books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Big vehicle disaster?

Crime Thriller

Disaster, natural or nuclear

Exploring into the wild

Horror Story?

Legal Thriller

Medical Thriller

Religious overtones?

Spying/Terrorism Thriller

War Thriller

Water adventure

Western



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
George W. Bush 12:16:44 AM
Norah Lofts 12:50:53 AM
Suzanne Weyn 4:47:34 PM
Wilma Counts 1:23:32 PM
Kin Platt 12:58:29 AM
Anonymous 12:47:34 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:05:52 PM
Jane Rubino 10:04:38 PM
LaVyrle Spencer 10:04:00 PM
G.A. McKevett 10:03:31 PM
David Williams 10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield 10:02:30 PM
Jeanette Walls 10:00:19 PM
Darryl Ponicsan 9:59:27 PM
Ann Rinaldi 9:58:30 PM
R.L. Stine 9:57:34 PM
Geoffrey Huntington 9:57:14 PM
Betty Mahmoody 9:56:38 PM
Deric Longden 9:56:11 PM
Mary Downing Hahn 9:55:48 PM

More message boards