Review: The Ghosts of Belfast by Stuart Neville

Very cool book.

The Ghosts of Belfast, Stuart Neville's debut novel, was originally published in the UK as The Twelve.

The Twelve are the ghosts of Belfast. The Twelve have haunted Gerry Fegan day and night since he was released from prison. They come out of the shadows at night, scream as he's drifting off to sleep, and hover around him while he tries to drown them out with whisky at the local pub. "Maybe if he had one more drink they'd leave him alone," is the first line of the novel. (And you know how I feel about first lines. This one's a grabber!) Among the twelve ghosts are a mother and her baby, a butcher, a 17 year old boy, a police officer and seven others. Even though Fegan pulled the trigger and caused each of their deaths, the twelve won't rest until justice is served to the men who gave him the orders. Fegan, and the justice he serves, shows us sooner or later, "everyone pays."

Fegan is both respected and feared in Belfast for the crimes he has committed, but lately people think he is simply crazy. He drinks too much, talks to himself, and has erratic behavior. For those who may not have feared him before, they do now, since crazy beats strong any day. You never underestimate crazy. Fegan has to keep it together long enough not only to complete his tasks and find peace, but also to keep Marie McKenna and her daughter safe and possibly find love and a regular life.

"This is what normal people feel like. He had never thought it possible to feel terror and stillness in the same heart, but both beat in his chest..."

The Ghosts of Belfast was very well written, and the premise could not have been more straightforward and simple, which is why I found it so hard to put down. There are twelve victims whose deaths need to be avenged for Gerry Fegan to get some peace. As the author ticks off each of the executions, he gives us the background of each character, their history, and how they are all intertwined with one another. Neville delves into the heated political battle of Northern Ireland after the Good Friday peace, but doesn't get bogged down in it. Instead, it serves as the perfect canvas on which to paint the pictures of his characters and the tenuous alliances they keep with one another. This is not your good guy vs. bad guy novel. There are no good guys.

I won't give away any more than I already have, but several times while reading this book I gasped out loud, and actually got chills toward the end of the book. This is one ending you won't see coming.

I thought this was a really cool book, and one that The Man will most definitely be reading in the near future. I was also pleasantly surprised when I learned in the author's bio that The Ghosts of Belfast is the first in a series. I will be sure to keep my eyes out for the next book.

Visit the novel's website: The Ghosts of Belfast
where you can learn more about the novel and the author, and read an excerpt as well as deleted scenes.

The Ghosts of Belfast is also one of the November 2009 IndieNext from IndieBound.org

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About the Book:
The Ghosts of Belfast by Stuart Neville
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Soho Crime (October 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1569476004
ISBN-13: 978-1569476000