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It has been said before, that every story has already been told. Maybe so. But if you've got the gift of the gab, you can tell the same tale as often as you like and still give it a life of its own every time. Requiems for the Departed flaunts that gift seventeen times over with top shelf stories from Stuart Neville, Brian McGilloway, Adrian McKinty, Sam Millar and many more.

Adventures in Novel Writing 

17 short stories written by some of the biggest names in Irish crime fiction, and Maxim Jakubowski. The stories are divided into three groups Ulster, Myth, and Fianna. I have only had time to read Queen of the Hill by Stuart Neville and if the standard of the other stories is only half as good this is a collection not to be missed. With Ken Bruen, Brian McGilloway, Adrian, McKinty, Arlene Hunt and others contributing prepare to be frightened.

Crime Scraps

I've followed Gerard Brennan's blog  Crime Scene NI for awhile now, and found it to be a consistently good source of information on the abundant wealth of great Northern Irish crime writing to be had right now. How exciting, then, that he and Mike Stone have managed to assemble so many of its authors between the covers of one small book. There are writers from other parts as well, but the theme they have all to deal with in these stories is combining contemporary crime with Irish myth. How fun is that?

Things You May Have Missed

If you're gonna be in Belfast on June 10 why you don't you tootle on down to No Alibis bookshop where the crime collection Requiems for the Departed is being launched. The cream of the Irish crime writing crop will be there and there will be wine and cheese and probably crackers...I'd guess Ritz reduced fat crackers, although I wouldnt be surprised if they served a generic Marks and Spencer water biscuit style cracker which, don't get me wrong, I like, but sometimes they can be a little dry - completely fine if the cheese is Brie but if it's a good stiff Edam or something then - watch out - the sensation isn't going to be that pleasant especially if you've got a tannic white wine working with it..., er, what was I, uh...oh yes Requiems.

the psychopathology of everyday life  

A twit in the age of tweets, Mick "miniviews" each of the short stories in Requiems for the Departed: Irish Crime, Irish Myths  "Red Hand of Ulster" by Sam Millar...
What fun! Sam Millar's contribution to R4tD is a short sequel to his 2009 novel, The Dark Place. "Red Hand of Ulster" features a pink bathrobe, severed limbs and extremities, a client who feels that God talks to her through defective car parts, gore, a confrontation with a cross-dressing prostitute, a possible NI zombie film, gore, twenty grand and justice. And then more gore! Millar revealed in our interview that he used to work in abattoirs. It shows. (I know a couple guys who used silly songs and flying chicken head fights to cope with their work in slaughterhouses!)
Critical Mick

All of the 17 stories in Requiems for the Departed are inspired by Irish mythology (not in a supernatural way, for the most part), but you don't have to be an expert on the subject to enjoy the stories—and the authors helpfully summarize each myth for you at the beginning of their tale to bring you up to speed. They're divided into three semi-geographical headings, Ulster, Myth, and Fianna.

In Reference To Murder

Need I say more, apart from the book is available to buy from No Alibis, Botanic Ave, Belfast or direct from Morrigan Books.