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168 pages

English

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The Irish are deeply passionate about their kinsmen, their country, their culture, and their way of life, as this collection of mysteries so richly illustrates. Slow to anger and equally slow to forgive at times, the children of the Emerald Isle have had planty of experience on both sides of the law. The sixteen stories of Irish crime and mystery in this volume tell of good and bad men and women--heroes and villians both. All feature characters for whom being Irish is more than just a state of mind--it's a way of life.

Sujets

Martin Greenberg

Brendan DuBois

Peter Berresford Ellis

Mary Ryan

Edward D. Hoch

Detective

Mystery

Peter Tremayne

Jane Adams

Fiction

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Publié par	Turner Publishing Company
Date de parution	01 mars 2001
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781620452950
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0798€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

Copyright © 2001 Tekno Books

All rights reserved. Written permission must be secured from the publisher to use or reproduce any part of this work, except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles.

Published by Cumberland House Publishing, Inc., 431 Harding Industrial Drive, Nashville, TN 37211

Cover design by Gore Studio, Inc. Text design by Mike Towle

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Murder most Celtic : tall tales of Irish mayhem / edited by Martin H. Greenberg. p. cm.
9781620452950
1. Detective and mystery stories, American. 2. Ireland—Fiction. I. Greenberg, Martin Harry.
PS648.D4 M8753 2001 813’.08720832417--dc21
2001017264

Printed in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9—06 05 04 03 02 01
Table of Contents
Title Page Copyright Page INTRODUCTION SCATTERED THORNS THE WEARING OF THE GREEN THE WORLD IS MINE; OR, DEEDS THAT MAKE HEAVEN WEEP BLACK IRISH MURDER IN KILCURRY GREAT DAY FOR THE IRISH STEALING THE DARK A BOOK OF KELLS SKIV SO WHERE’VE YOU BURIED THE MISSUS THEN, PADDY? GREEN LEGS AND GLAM ONE OF OUR LEPRECHAUNS IS MISSING THE DUBLIN EYE THE MALE AND FEMALE HOGAN CELTIC NOIR FENIAN RAM AUTHORS’ BIOS COPYRIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS
INTRODUCTION
W RITING INTRODUCTIONS IS USUALLY just a matter of research. Whether the theme is the medieval period, the Civil War, or, one of my personal favorites, food, a simple peek in an encyclopedia or a quick surf online is all that is needed to gather the necessary information.
Fate and fortune occasionally come together to produce a remarkable circumstance that is to everyone’s advantage. Like this book, for example. As soon as I had returned from a week’s stay on the glorious Emerald Isle, I was given the assignment to begin work on this project. At last, after writing dozens of introductions for books on subjects less familiar to me, I finally would be able to use firsthand experience to illustrate the theme of this collection. I would also have the pleasure of revisiting all that it is about Ireland that makes it so attractive to so many visitors.
Start with the landscape. Ireland is a land of amazing contrasts. From the rugged, wind-hewn majesty of the Cliffs of Mohr and the savage storms that blow on the coast to the gentle fog-shrouded hillocks and villages of the Midlands, Ireland is a study in both beauty and hostility. Peaks and mountains of slate thrust out of a starkly beautiful land to create beautiful, sun-dappled valleys. Nestled there are centuries-old towns and hamlets, where the local residents go about their lives in much the same way as did their ancestors before them. From the River Corrib winding its merry way through the city of Galway to the majestic ruins of the ancient cathedral at Cashel Rock rising over the countryside, Ireland is a land rich in tradition and a place where the people embrace their past as well as their present.
The people of Ireland are friendly, generous, and always willing to share themselves and their culture. Being among the Irish for just a few days makes it easy to understand where they get their reputation for cheerfulness and goodwill. Whether hoisting a pint in the local pub of an eighteenth-century manor house or taking up arms against enemy aggressors trying to assert their rule, the Irish are a unique people who live their lives to the fullest, no matter the circumstances.
Which brings us to the other aspect of this collection—murder. At first glance, it is hard to see how any Irishman or Irishwoman would ever bother with something so heinous. But it should also be remembered that the Irish are deeply passionate about their kinsmeri, their country, their culture, and their way of life. Slow to anger and, at times, equally slow to forgive, the Irish have always been drawn to more than their fair share of, shall we say, “high-spirited activity,” some of it illegal. From the revolutionaries of the Easter Rebellion to Irish mobs of the 1930s to the equally driven Irish-American policemen of the same era, the Emerald Isle’s children have had plenty of experience tasting life on both sides of the law.
In this book we’ve assembled sixteen top mystery writers and asked them to write or contribute crime and mystery stories featuring men and women for whom being Irish is more than just a state of mind; it’s a way of life. Whether it’s ancient history or the modem day, the Irish prove that any time can be right for crime. Peter Tremayne’s Sister Fidelma makes another welcome appearance as she gets to the bottom of a baffling case of theft and murder. Jeremiah Healy’s sleuth John Cuddy investigates the disappearance of a book on Irish heritage and, along the way, discovers the close ties that bind Irish families. Brendan DuBois tells of a man whose passion for his heritage is so strong, he’ll kill to protect it. From mystery master Clark Howard comes a tale of passion, revenge, and wrong choices set against the backdrop of hardscrabble Dublin. And we have Simon Clark’s haunting story of a man who is forced to solve a murder to save his own life and discovers that nowhere do the waters run as deep as they do around Ireland.
The sixteen stories of Irish mystery collected here run the gamut from good men and women to bad—heroes and villains both. So raise a glass of Guinness (or any good Irish whiskey), stoke the fire, and indulge yourself in these stories of Murder Most Celtic.
— John Helfers
SCATTERED THORNS
(A Sister Fidelma Mystery)

Peter Tremayne

T HE BOY IS INNOCENT.”
The chief magistrate of Droim Som, Brehon Tuama, seemed adamant.
Sister Fidelma sat back in her chair and gazed thoughtfully at the tall man who was seated on the other side of the hearth. She had received an urgent request from Brehon Tuama to come to the small township of Droim Sorn in her capacity as dálaigh, advocate of the law courts. A sixteen-year-old lad named Braon had been accused of murder and theft. Brehon Tuama had suggested that Fidelma should undertake the boy’s defence
In accordance with protocol, Fidelma had first made her presence in the township known to the chieftain, Odar, in whose house the boy was being held. Odar seemed to display a mixed reaction to her arrival but had offered her a few formal words of welcome before suggesting that she seek out Brehon Tuama to discuss the details of the case. She had decided, on this brief acquaintance, that Odar was not a man particularly concerned with details. She had noticed that the chieftain had an impressive array of hunting weapons on his walls and two sleek wolfhounds basking in front of his hearth. She deduced that Odar’s concerns were more of the hunt than pursuit of justice.
Brehon Tuama had invited her inside his house and offered her refreshment before making his opening remark about the accused’s guilt.
“Are you saying that the boy is not to be tried?” asked Fidelma. “If you have already dismissed the case against him, why was I summoned . . .?”
Brehon Tuama quickly shook his head.
“I cannot dismiss the matter yet. Odar is adamant that the boy has to go through due process. In fact . . .” The Brehon hesitated. “The victim’s husband is his cousin.”
Fidelma sighed softly. She disliked nepotism.
“Perhaps you should explain to me the basic facts as you know them.”
Brehon Tuama stretched uneasily in his chair.
“Findach the Smith is reputed to be one of the most able craftsmen in this township. His work is apparently widely admired and has graced abbeys, chieftains’ raths, and kings’ fortresses. He has been able to refuse such mundane tasks as shoeing horses, making harnesses, ploughs, and weapons, to pursue more artistic work.”
“It sounds as though you do not share others’ appreciation of his work?” interposed Fidelma, catching the inflection in his tone.
“I don’t,” agreed the Brehon. “But that is by the way. Findach was commissioned to make a silver cross for the high altar of the Abbey of Cluain. He had completed the commission only a few days ago.
“The cross was extremely valuable. Findach had polished it and taken it to his house ready for collection by one of the religious from the abbey. Yesterday morning, Findach had gone to his workshop, which is a hundred yards beyond his house, to commence work. The silver cross was left in his house. His wife, Muirenn, was there.
“It was that morning that Brother Caisín had been sent by the Abbot of Cluain to collect the cross. I have questioned Brother Caisín who says that he arrived at Findach’s house early in the morning. He noticed that the door was open and he went in. Muirenn lay on the floor with blood on her head. He tried to render assistance but found that she was dead, apparently killed by a sharp blow to the head.
“Brother Caisín then said that he heard a noise from a side room and found the boy, Braon, hiding there. There was blood on his clothes.
“It was then that Findach arrived back at his house and found Brother Caisín and Braon standing by the body of his wife. His cry of anguish was heard by a passerby who, ascertaining the situation, came in search of me as Brehon of Droim Sorn.”
Fidelma was thoughtful.
“At what point was it discovered the silver cross was missing?” she asked.
Brehon Tuama looked surprised.
“How did you know that it was the silver cross that had been stolen? The object of the theft was not specified when I sent for you.”
Fidelma made an impatient gesture with her hand.
“I did not think that you would spend so much time and detail telling me about Findach’s commission from Cluain if it had no relevance to this matter.”
Brehon Tuama looked crestfallen.
“What did the boy have to say?” Fidelma continued. “I presume the boy’s father was sent for before you questioned him?”
Brehon Tuama looked pained.
“Of course. I know the law. As he was under the ‘age of choice,’ his father is deemed responsible for him in law.”
“So the father was summoned and the boy was questioned?” pressed Fidelma impatiently.
“