Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

i really enjoyed reading this book, the characters were great and I really enjoyed going on this journey.

What a treat this debut novel is – intelligent, well-paced and well-plotted. It’s nuanced in its approach to some very serious issues, and also a real page-turner which I felt compelled to read almost at one sitting. Set during the Irish War of Independence in 1920, it follows the fortunes of two young IRA members sent to a small village to serve as police officers for the new Republic. They are immediately confronted with the death of a young boy. Accident or murder? On one level, then, this is a whodunit, a crime novel, but it’s far more multi-layered than that, tackling as it does issues of morality, guilt, responsibility and justice. How important is the death of just one person during wartime when so many are being killed? And what happens if the perpetrator turns out to be an important figure in the emerging Irish state? There’s much to think about here, but it’s all written with a light touch. The writing is often darkly humorous and the dialogue is authentic and the characterisation convincing. No lazy stereotypes. The narrative is peppered with literary and philosophical references, which for me really added to my reading pleasure. A thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking novel.

The Undiscovered Country by Aidan McQuade is an extremely entertaining story set in a fictional town in Co Mayo, in 1920 Ireland during the war of Independence. The 2 main characters in the narrative, Eamon Gleason ( a veteran from WW1) and Mick McAlinden (from Co Armagh) are members of the Irish Republican Army assigned to police duties when they discover a local child apparently drowned in the river. The fledgling civil judicial infrastructure complicates their efforts to investigate after discovering that the death of the child was not an accident. The local Doctor, solicitor, priest and primary school headmaster are among the other key characters which bring this intriguing story to life. The dilemmas faced by the two main characters during the course of their investigation cause them to make significant moral decisions which they cannot be sure are correct.

*** Strong language throughout (mostly unnecessary, I would say).