Variously reviewed as an "an unclaimed jewel of a book" and a "truly funny, witty and stunningly well-told story of murder in a small Irish village near Donegal," Patrick McGinley's Bogmail (1978) is a dark, twisted and blackly hilarious tale of rural shenanigans in the deepest, darkest Northwest(est). But don't take our word for it: Bogmail got the five-star treatment from Time Magazine, the New York Times, and sundry peers who nominated it for Best Novel at the 1981 Edgars. Which is nice. Are we hereby, forthwith and post-haste demanding its immediate republication? Bet your sweetchips, baby ...
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Lost Classic # 74: Bogmail, Patrick McGinley
Variously reviewed as an "an unclaimed jewel of a book" and a "truly funny, witty and stunningly well-told story of murder in a small Irish village near Donegal," Patrick McGinley's Bogmail (1978) is a dark, twisted and blackly hilarious tale of rural shenanigans in the deepest, darkest Northwest(est). But don't take our word for it: Bogmail got the five-star treatment from Time Magazine, the New York Times, and sundry peers who nominated it for Best Novel at the 1981 Edgars. Which is nice. Are we hereby, forthwith and post-haste demanding its immediate republication? Bet your sweetchips, baby ...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Declan Burke has published a number of novels, the most recent of which is ABSOLUTE ZERO COOL. As a journalist and critic, he writes and broadcasts on books and film for a variety of media outlets, including the Irish Times, RTE, the Irish Examiner and the Sunday Independent. He has an unfortunate habit of speaking about himself in the third person. All views expressed here are his own and are very likely to be contrary.
I just finished this book which sadly sat in my bookcase and was moved several times. Wow, what a surprise ending!
ReplyDeleteI figured any book that made it that long in the bookcase and was from Ireland deserved reading by a "Kelly"
Kelly