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The Eloquence of the Dead: A Mystery (Joe Swallow) Kindle Edition

by Conor Brady (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 158 ratings
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"Bodies can tell you a lot. There can be an eloquence about the dead. But you have to be able to interpret what they are telling you... "

This captivating, expertly crafted mystery captures the life and essence of Victorian Dublin and draws the reader on a gripping journey of murder and intrigue.

When a Dublin Pawnbroker is found murdered and the lead suspect goes missing, Sergeant Joe Swallow is handed the poisoned chalice of the investigation. On the way he uncovers deep-rooted corruption, discovers the power of new, scientific detection techniques and encounters a ruthless adversary. With authorities pressing for a quick resolution, the public living in fear of attack and the newspapers happy to point to the police's every mistake, Swallow must use every trick in his arsenal to crack the case.

Following leads from Trim Castle to the Tower of London, The Eloquence of the Dead is a taut, fast-paced crime thriller perfect for fans of Charles Finch and Charles Todd.

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Previous page
  1. Book 2 of 4
    Joe Swallow Mysteries
  2. Print length
    381 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Minotaur Books
  6. Publication date
    March 15, 2016
  7. File size
    2296 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The second case for the talented, complicated Swallow (A June of Ordinary Murders, 2015) again spins a fine mystery out of political corruption in 1880s Dublin."--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

CONOR BRADY is the former editor of The Irish Times. The Eloquence of the Dead is his second novel featuring Joe Swallow. He lives in Dublin.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B014CQ0U1G
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Minotaur Books (March 15, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 15, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2296 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 381 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 158 ratings

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Conor Brady

Conor Brady

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
158 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Stephen Isaacson
5.0 out of 5 stars Fast action, great read
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2017
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Fun, fast moving action, great historical context. Conor Brady is a good writer. Joe Swallow is believable, serious and a kind human being. He is passionate about his work and makes for a hero you want to root for even when he does not always play by the rules. Can't wait for the next book.
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Kindle Customer Sierra
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2019
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Wanted to give it 5 stars but it wouldn't take it. Story held me right to the end. A yearly visitor to dublin felt at home on all the streets mentioned in the novel looking forward to reading more from Conor Brady
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Marty Reynoso
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2017
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Well written a history of Dublin I knew very little about hope that there will be more in this series
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Mary O'Riordan
4.0 out of 5 stars Mystery and murder set in Dublin's atmospheric late nineteenth century.
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2014
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Brady expertly handles the complex plot, bringing to life the seething tensions of Dublin Castle amid the tumultuous land reforms of the period. Excellently written and plotted, humour adds colour and depth to the characters and Swallow stumbles only in the romantic sphere.....gives Quirke [Benjamin Black books] a run for his money!
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hrladyship
3.0 out of 5 stars Proofing would have helped a lot
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2017
The Eloquence of the Dead was not a quick read as it did not hold my interest for very long. There were some very distracting problems here, not the least of which was a sad lack of editing and proofreading. In numerous passages whole words were missing. A few less occurrences of a word being repeated.

The protagonist, Detective Sergeant Joe Swallow, is a typical character in several ways. First he's overlooked for promotion no matter how much he deserves one. He's single but has been carrying on an affair with a widow. He has to put up with a colleague who gets promoted ahead of him, in spite of his incompetence. A few scenes felt much too modern, especially when a father goes to bed, leaving his unwed daughter in the parlor with an equally unwed older man. The ending, which I will not describe other than to say that this sort of end is far too typical these days.

The descriptions of Dublin are quite vivid, and the villains well drawn, although there quite a few villains to contend with. The mystery aspects of the story are interesting and a couple of them play out well. Yes, there are several mysteries to be resolved, although they are all tied together in the end. I don't regret reading Brady's book, but probably won't look for the earlier one or any to follow.
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Zilchik
5.0 out of 5 stars Conor Brady writes intelligent, realistic mysteries
Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2015
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Conor Brady writes intelligent, realistic mysteries. I only wish he had published this book in hardbound form so I could gift a copy to the local library.
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Bernadette
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book very enjoyable
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2018
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Very enjoyable read. Descriptions very real and detailed.
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avid reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2016
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Not only a good story, but well written and a pleasure to read.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Morrigan
3.0 out of 5 stars Bien écrit
Reviewed in France on April 3, 2020
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Les critiques étaient bonnes et c'est vrai que le livre se lit bien. L'intrigue se déroule à la fin du 19ème siècle à Dublin, l'Irlande est sous l'autorité britannique, après la Grande Famine qui a quasiment divisé la population irlandaise par deux. Les terres sont redistribuées et les lords anglais qui occupaient ces terres sont dédommagés. Lorsqu'un prêteur sur gages est assassiné à Dublin, personne n'image que ce meurtre va mener à la découverte d'une sordide machination.
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Patrick F
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 25, 2018
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Brilliant historical detail and brings 19th century Dublin to life. Highly recommended read particularly if you have an interest in Irish history (even though the story is fictional)
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Mr. C. Maitland
4.0 out of 5 stars A well written historical detective story.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 30, 2014
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Second story about Joe Swallow a Dublin detective in the 1880s. Like "A June of Ordinary Murders", this mixes everyday crime, terrorism and Swallow's private life. The latter never really intrudes, unlike the first book, allowing the focus to be on Swallow's profession. He has however become a little more questioning of authority and the discriminatory attitudes of his superiors.
Late Victorian Dublin and briefly London, are well realised and the book successfully imparts a real sense of atmosphere. The writing style is taut and the ending, so vital for detective stories, is believable and gives a sense of closure.
In short a thoroughly enjoyable book in which the issues resonate with today and with any luck this character will feature in a long series.
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Motherhen
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 6, 2017
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Atmospheric murder mystery, engaging.
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Mrs. S. Lang
4.0 out of 5 stars Triumph for a Swallow!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 10, 2015
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Interesting sequel to the first book introducing the characters, which make you love them or hate them were you are supposed to! Clearly very well researched and that the author is an expert in police politics and 19th century Irish history. Sometimes I felt this was too detailed and at times laborious and you wanted him to "get on with it"! But a good storyline - kept you guessing right to the end
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