John Connolly gives new twist to Parker novels

Arts Week with Stephen Glennon

It may be stating the obvious to say that best-selling author John Connolly is a master of his craft but, in his latest novel, The Dirty South, the US Shamus and Edgar awards winner has scaled new heights. Connolly’s Charlie Parker detective series, which debuted to international acclaim with Every Dead Thing in 1999, is one of the best around. A mix of mystery, thriller and horror, with a delicious dusting of the supernatural, the series has built a fan base that extends around the globe.

The Dublin author reciprocates the love by visiting many of these countries and locations, including Galway, on his book publicity tours. Indeed, he was pencilled in to visit the West of Ireland in early April to promote The Dirty South before the Covid-19 pandemic put a halt to the event – and the book’s launch.

Although The Dirty South has since hit the shelves, Connolly misses his fans, for whom he has a great appreciation.

“I think genre writers and, particularly writers who write a series, are in a really fortunate position in that you have this enthusiasm of readers,” he says.

“When you are writing a book, you know people are waiting for it to come out. They read it really fast and they want to know when the next one is coming out. So, you have a kind of impetus, a reason to get up in the morning, because there are people who are genuinely looking forward to what you are doing.”

When it comes to producing bodies of work, Connolly never disappoints. Aside from the 17 novels in the Parker series, his other works include The Book of Lost Things; He, the story of comedian Stan Laurel; the Samuel Johnson series for young adults; and, with his partner Jennifer Ridyard, he co-wrote the science-fiction Chronicles of the Invaders collection.

While The Dirty South is another Parker novel, this is the detective’s origin story. It’s 1997 and, stricken by grief following the murder of his wife and child, Parker’s search for their killer has taken him to Arkansas, where his enquiries land him in a jail cell.

Having stripped away the supernatural that coats the Parker series, Connolly has replaced it with Western elements – the detective plays a mysterious gunslinger who ventures into town.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app

The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.