The Blurb
As a wise man once said, just because you’re done with the past, doesn’t mean the past is done with you.
Paul can’t let an incident from his past go. When he finds out a rival detective agency played a key role in it, he drags MCM Investigations into a blood feud that they can’t hope to win. Soon they’re faced with the prospect of the company going out of business and Brigit going out of her damn mind.
When long-buried bodies are discovered in the Wicklow Mountains, Bunny’s past starts closing in on him too. Who can he trust when he can’t even trust himself? When he finds himself with nowhere left to run and nobody he can turn to, will the big fella make the ultimate sacrifice to protect the ones he loves?
When all that’s left is the fall, the fall is everything.
And even the mighty fall.
Last Orders is the thrilling conclusion of the critically acclaimed Dublin Trilogy, which melds fast-paced action with a distinctly Irish acerbic wit. It’s best enjoyed having read the other books in the series, particularly the prequel Angels in the Moonlight.
My Thoughts
I have to start off by saying I am gutted that Last Orders is the final book in The Dublin Trilogy. I have loved spending time with Bunny, Paul, Brigit, Phil and especially Maggie. If you haven’t read the other two books in the trilogy yet and the prequel you are missing a treat. Last Orders probably can be read as a standalone but in order to get maximum impact you really need to have read the other books first.
It is no secret that I adore this series and Last Orders is the perfect ending to a fab trilogy. It had everything I had come to expect from McDonnell – acerbic Irish wit, fast-paced action and a cracking plot – and more. As we saw in Angels In The Moonlight, McDonnell’s writing gets better and better with each book as he also adds a deeper layer of emotion. I don’t want to give anything away plot wise, but I found myself deeply concerned for Bunny as his past starts to catch up with him and he suffers the impact of what happened to him in The Day That Never Comes. McDonnell perfectly captures all of the sadness involved in seeing a strong man slowly deplete from both the perspective of the man himself and those around him. Be prepared to go through a whole rollercoaster of emotions while reading Last Orders.
As Paul wages a war against a rival private detective agency, further pushing him and the exasperated Brigit apart, the pace maintains a speedy momentum throughout the book via humour and intrigue. As McDonnell flings curveballs around until it comes together beautifully at the end you realise how perfectly the plot has been planned and put together.
Part of the beauty of these books is the characterisation. As a reader you can’t help but feel a great affection for them all and a part of me is in mourning as the series closes. Each character is well thought out, well-developed and rounded. You get completely wrapped up in the characters and live every moment with them to the point that I found myself talking to them and whispering ‘oh, don’t do that’ to them.
I can’t end this review without mentioning McDonnell’s observations on society and life in general. They range from the seriously accurate to pee-your-pants funny. Paul’s thoughts on wind chimes are just ace and resonated loudly with me as I bloody hate wind chimes!
An absolute corker and a great way to end the series, Last Orders is brilliant. I loved everything about it and it, along with the other three books, will be one I return to again and again. I’m gutted it’s over but excited to see where McDonnell takes us next. If you haven’t yet read any of these books go out and buy them all now; I promise that you will love them!
Published on eBook on 3 March 2018 and paperback on 6 March 2018 by McFori Ink. You can grab your copy HERE.
A huge thank you to Caimh McDonnell and Elaine Ofori at McFori Ink for my advance copy in exchange for my review.
Read my reviews of the other books in The Dublin Trilogy by clicking on the pictures!
