Overview
"An Irish cultural treasure has been stolen from the Trinity College library: the Book of Kells, an ancient, exquisitely illustrated ninth-century amalgam of Christian doctrine and Celtic legend. Normally, theft would not fall under the jurisdiction of Peter McGarr of the Murder Squad, even one of this magnitude. But the heinous crime comes with an extra indignity: the brutal slaying of a night watchman, believed to have been a party to the felony." "The fact that blood has been so freely spilled is most disturbing to McGarr, suggesting that the perpetrators' motive was not merely financial gain. Back-biting politics only further tangles the web of thievery and murder that McGarr must unravel quickly and completely. Mounting evidence suggests that the repercussions of this case may be more devastating than first imagined, pointing the intrepid detective toward a secret organization intent on nothing less than the destruction of contemporary Irish society." They call themselves the New Druids, dangerous zealots dedicated to returning Ireland to its ancient pagan state. Their deadly reach is wide, infiltrating the hallowed halls of Trinity College and quite possibly the Garda itself, forcing McGarr to doubt the loyalties of even his closest compatriots. With the dubious help of an unlikely "partner" - the millionaire publisher of a disreputable "scandal sheet" - McGarr undertakes the most perilous assignment of his career, plunging into a deadly maelstrom of secrets, deceptions, dark rituals...and the ever-escalating violence that even his most determined efforts cannot prevent.Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
The Barnes & Noble ReviewBartholomew Gill's Peter McGarr mystery is as full of twists and turns as a Celtic knotwork border from the priceless Book of Kells that's stolen in its first chapter.
Investigating a theft, even of such a valuable cultural treasure, normally wouldn't be assigned to Chief Superintendent Peter McGarr of Dublin's Garda Soichana. But the brutal execution of a security guard at the crime scene soon brings in McGarr's elite Murder Squad. As McGarr investigates what seems to be an inside job, political and criminal complications quickly build to a dangerous height. The negative publicity surrounding the case adversely affects McGarr's beloved daughter. A zealous political group calling itself the New Druids (supposedly dedicated to returning Ireland to paganism) makes a ransom demand for the stolen treasure. And, most bizarrely, an old enemy offers McGarr help that cannot be refused. There's no denying that wealthy publisher and unscrupulous power-broker Chazz Sweeney's resources could be invaluable in the investigation. No one can imagine why the man who sued the Garda after being acquitted of the murder of McGarr's wife would want to ally himself with the detective now…. As McGarr tries to figure out what's the real crime, and what's the cover, the suspects multiply and the danger grows. And McGarr comes to realize that someone has gone to great lengths to embroil him in a case that could finish him…in more ways than one.
Sadly, with the death of Bartholomew Gill in the summer of 2002, this is the last Peter McGarr novel. But mystery fans will be pleased to hear that Avon will also be republishing the earlier books in this Edgar Awardnominated series. Sue Stone