More Pandaudio: "Green Hell" by Ken Bruen

 More Pandaudio: Green Hell by Ken Bruen, 2015, downloaded from Hoopla. Narrated by John Lee.

I've been noticing over the past two novels that John Lee is much more of a narrator than a performer. His dialogue is not laced with the emotions that the author provides. Lee does not whisper, sound urgent, or throw much of any emotion.

I've not read any of these in a while. I watched all the film versions and now think of Iain Glen as Taylor. Except written Taylor is much more of a drunken, sorry, violent bastard than television Taylor.

Chock-a-block of cultural references: television, novels, music, film, nonfic, poetry. Taylor reads book reviews and a bartender comments on a book reviewer who crap off an author "for using too many cultural references". References to other authors that I presume are real people.

Taylor spends his time in bars drinking and at home reading or watching film and television. No job to go to and no responsibilities. Sounds kinda idyllic until you remember he is a full-time alcoholic with raging hangovers and frequent vomiting.

Comments:

• Gratuitous reference of Sara Gran's Claire DeWitt novels. Three times! Four!
  
• Can't blame Bruen for that. The third DeWitt novel was absolutely fantastic.
• Gratuitous reference to Michael Schumacher's skiing accident.
• Gratuitous Adrian McKinty.
  
• Way too much booze.
• Galway is 80,000 people. Jefferson County is 85,000 people. Galway is 20.9 square miles. (Ireland is 32,535 square miles.) Jefferson County is 525 square miles. In 2019 Ireland had a homicide rate of .9 per 100,000. Jefferson County had 0 for 100,000. In Bruen's Galway there are, what, 5-10 murders a year?  
• What's my point?  I don't have one. I also did not look hard for Galway homicide stats.
• Gratuitous Iain Glen reference. Glen plays Taylor in the TV films. 
• Damn, I really enjoyed this novel.

Plot?Man, I'm finishing this up a month later. 

OK I recall mow: American in grad school is researching and class taking in Ireland. American is narrating all this for us. He is studying WhatsHisFaceFamousIrishAuthor. American meets Jack and, surprisingly, becomes his pal. American witnesses Jack's comfort and fondness for violence as a problem solver. American and Jack Taylor drink. American and Jack Taylor snort cocaine. American decides to write a book about Jack Taylor. Jack Taylor hears about a Uni professor who is a serial rapist and murderer. American meets a girl. 

 Things happen. Professor finds out Jack Taylor out to get him. Professor ingratiates into American's girlfriend's life and career. Professor murders girlfriend and sets up American. American goes to jail. American commits suicide.

Jack's narration takes over. Jack deals Jack Justice.