The Good Life

C. Stephen Gray is Toronto-based communications consultant.

John Brady’s latest mystery centres on the murder of a young Irish
call girl, Mary Mullen. Mary wanted a taste of “the good life” and
believed the fastest way to it was to get involved with a notorious
Dublin crime family, the Egans. When she’s found floating in
Dublin’s Grand Canal, Detective Inspector Matt Minogue is called in to
investigate. But the inspector is also dealing with other things:
Minogue’s staunchly Catholic wife is extremely upset that their
daughter is not planning a traditional church wedding; and a notorious
jailbird and known associate of the Egans’ is the twin brother of
Constable Tommy Malone, Minogue’s colleague.

The mystery is gradually worked out, with Brady devoting about equal
time to solving the crime and resolving the subplots. As a result, the
reader becomes as involved in the characters’ problems as in finding
the murderer. The author’s re-creation of “authentic” Dublin
dialogue adds to the book’s richness, although those with a non-Gaelic
background may occasionally find it difficult to follow.