Larry Flynn is an old man literally dying on his feet. When a new American ambassador arrives in Dublin old wounds are opened that start Larry off on a quest for revenge way beyond his ability. Events sparked by the building of a secret airstrip in Tipperary in 1943, led to tragedy in Larry’s early life and forced him to carry a dark secret and a spite filled heart almost to the grave. With … nearly all hope of revenge lost, an opportunity to finally get back at the family he believes to be responsible for his life long suffering lands in his lap. The question is, has it come too late? Add in the involvement of a ruthless Dublin crime gang and Larry Flynn is a dynamic action filled thriller like no other. Larry Flynn will rock you on your heels and keep you on your toes. You’ve never met anyone quite like him and you will certainly never forget Larry Flynn.
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Wow! I won’t be forgetting Larry Flynn for quite some time! I highly recommend to fans of gritty thrillers.
I’ve read a few of this author’s book knowing I’m in for an interesting if sometimes unusual read but this one is my firm favourite by miles. The portrayal of Larry Flynn both as an individual and the universal lessons he learns while facing his own demise was outstanding. One of the best characterisations I’ve read in a long time.
Add on to this a dark secret from his past and actions that lead to a violent collision between governmental fiqures, security forces and a dangerous crime gang and you have one explosive read.
The story is dark with language appropriate to the characters and maybe not for the faint hearted but I found this an incredibly powerful and memorable read.
At the end of each year I create a list of my favourite reads and this will be on it without a doubt.
An obsessional need for revenge quickly escalating out of control – an intriguing thriller.
Larry Flynn isn’t your usual doddering old fella but one harbouring a hidden past filled with tragedy, drama, and secrets of epic proportions. He certainly isn’t a nice old man; in fact he comes across as a thoroughly dislikeable and heartless bitter old man without a single redeeming virtue to his name – whether this is due to circumstances, the fact that he’s slowly dying and knows it or simply his nature is for the reader to discover and decide for themselves, but what they will also discover along the way is a cleverly constructed story that starts off in a sedate but intriguing way, hinting at a horrific progression.
Quite early on the author makes it clear that Larry Flynn has a hidden and sinister agenda, and one in which a pretty young girl plays a major part, giving rise to all sorts of gory speculation, but as anyone who has read any of Max Power’s books before will know, it’s never wise to jump to any obvious conclusions. Set in Dublin, much of the narrative and dialogue pays homage to the locality, utilising some of the local dialect to give a real feel for the characters and place, but keeping the balance just right so as not to distract or confuse any readers not familiar with the Irish accent or terminology. The dialogue is authentic, switching effortlessly between the characters to give each their own distinctive voice, bringing each of them to life with every word, thought and action. There are some lengthy narratives at times but expertly interwoven into the dialogue and action sequences, providing the framework for the unfolding story.
In its simplest terms, this is a story of one old man’s obsessional need for revenge, and he’s prepared to go to any lengths to get it. When a young girl provides the opportunity for Larry to put his plans into action, things quickly escalate beyond his control, cue the arrival of host of other characters he hadn’t allowed for: a ruthless Dublin crime boss, some nasty associates of the crime boss even more objectionable than Larry Flynn himself, a couple of equally ruthless US security special forces, and the US ambassador. What emerges is a story spanning the past seventy years; a conspiracy involving the Catholic Church, a soldier who knows too much, a shady high ranking Nazi, the smuggling of a Nazi fortune, and the Fuhrer himself – these may sound like the typical ingredients of a thriller but without giving too much away, those elements really are just the surface of this intriguing story of political ambition, murder, rape, kidnap, and a determination to safeguard a terrible secret. Another fine piece of writing from Max Power.