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![The Convictions of John Delahunt by [Andrew Hughes]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51UfQd4ZGaL._SY346_.jpg)
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The Convictions of John Delahunt Kindle Edition
Andrew Hughes
(Author)
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Product description
Review
Unputdownable . . . chillingly portrayed . . . a highly sophisticated first novel. ― CHARLES PALLISER, author of The Quincunx
Compelling and eerily authentic . . . Read it and be grateful to be alive in our day and age. ― ROBERT GODDARD
A dark, original story wrapped in a wonderful gothic gloom . . . it's a tough act to pull off, but Andrew Hughes manages it with brio. I heard echoes of James Hogg and Robert Louis Stevenson. ― ANDREW TAYLOR, author of The American Boy and The Scent of Death
Reminiscent of John Banville's The Book of Evidence . . . a bracing, lurid tale that is as engrossing as it is chilling. -- Declan Burke ― IRISH INDEPENDENT
A vivid piece of writing . . . brings to mind Andrew Miller’s Costa-winning novel, Pure. ― IRISH TIMES
Extraordinarily detailed world, impeccably researched . . . so superbly written that it soars as a masterly work of fiction . . . utterly compelling. -- Dermot Bolger ― IRISH MAIL ON SUNDAY
An intriguing debut (that) sets out Hughes as one to watch. ― SUNDAY TIMES IRELAND
A skilfully planned, elegantly written debut . . . a riveting read. ― SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
Stupendous: a brilliant achievement for a first novel, completely compelling and with a perfectly damaged central character. ― MANDA SCOTT --This text refers to the paperback edition.
Book Description
About the Author
From the Inside Flap
Dublin, 1841. On a cold December morning, a boy is enticed away from his mother and his throat savagely cut. This could be just one more small, sad death in a city riven by poverty, inequality and political unrest, but this killing causes a public outcry. For it appears the culprit – a feckless student named John Delahunt – is also an informant and in the pay of the authorities at Dublin Castle. And strangely, this young man seems neither to regret what he did nor fear his punishment. Indeed, as he awaits the hangman in his cell in Kilmainham Gaol, John Delahunt decides to tell his story in this, his final, deeply unsettling statement . . .
Set amidst Dublin’s taverns, tenements, courtrooms and alleyways and with a rich, Dickensian cast of characters – carousing students, unscrupulous lowlifes, dissectionists, phrenologists, blackmailers and the sinister agents of the Castle, The Convictions of John Delahunt is based on true events that convulsed Victorian Ireland.
Beautifully observed, seductive and laced with dark humour, this is a gripping historical thriller about a man who betrays his family, his friends, his society and, ultimately, himself and marks the debut of an exciting and assured new literary voice.
From the Back Cover
On a cold December morning, a boy is enticed away from his mother and his throat savagely cut. In a city riven by poverty and political unrest, this murder causes an outcry. For it seems the culprit – a feckless student named John Delahunt – is also an informant and in the pay of the spymasters at Dublin Castle. As he awaits the hangman, Delahunt decides to tell his story in this, his final, deeply unsettling statement . . . --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
Product details
- ASIN : B00EALI5SY
- Publisher : Transworld Digital (12 September 2013)
- Language : English
- File size : 3053 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 352 pages
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Best Sellers Rank:
81,353 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- 822 in Historical Mysteries (Kindle Store)
- 1,100 in Historical Mystery
- 2,130 in Literary Fiction (Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
Customer reviews
Top review from Australia
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The story begins while John is in jail awaiting his execution. He is given an opportunity to write about his life and crimes. Through flashbacks, John reflects on his life and his crimes. Married and in love with Helen, a wealthy young woman whose family disowned her for marrying John. They live in poverty, where every day is an ordea. By chance, John becomes an informant and operative for the corrupt Dublin Castle, a semi-law enforcement agency with ruthless and evil tendencies, using extortion, and even murder to achieve their aspirations. As John becomes ever more dependent and involved in his machinations with Dublin Castle, he falls into a life of crime, and becomes a killer without remorse.
Although this is a very dark, sinister story about a violent and heartless killer, the character of John isn't completely hateful. His brutality is stark and ruthless, but sometimes he is a victim too, and there are moments when the reader will feel sympathy for the particular plight he finds himself in.
The story is not for the faint of heart, but for those who love being thrilled, gripped by an unputdownable book, and who loves reading about the dark side of life, then this is the book for them. This chilling novel is amazing and I loved every page. Simply fabulous.
Top reviews from other countries

The complete story has been written in a most exceptional way, for it tells the story about Dublin and life in Ireland in general, and it captivates the reader from start to finish.
The book is set in Dublin mainly in the years AD 1841/42 and it tells the tale of a man called John Delahunt, and about his fortunes and misdeeds.
After several personal incidents, even killing an Italian man called Domenico and framing another man, Cooney, for the murder, this same John Delahunt kills a young boy in Dublin, or so it seems or that he's now being framed himself for the murder by Lyster, but while being an informer and thus being in the pay of the British authorities at Dublin Castle, he thinks he can get away with it again and so he does not fear any punishment at first.
What John Delahunt did not expect is the huge public outcry and which forces the British authorities to arrest and convict him for this horrible crime.
And so in the end John Delahunt decides to tell his tragic tale to all who want to hear, while waiting in his cell in Kilmainham Gaol for the hangman.
What follows is a dark and sinister story of a personal tragedy, of a man who has not only betrayed mostly himself but also his family, friends and society.
Very much recommended for this book is for certain a "Compelling and Stunning Debut"!

As other reviewers have stated, the central character was really quite unpleasant and self-centred. I must admit, this made a refreshing, if somewhat uncomfortable change, as it took me a while to get into accepting his shockingly, self-serving lifestyle and mainly conscience-free attitude. Saying that, he is fascinating and unnerving, and I couldn't wait to read more of his story.
I am thoroughly looking forward to reading more of Andrew Hughes's work. His attention to the subtle details of each character's movements in order to show their subconscious innermost feelings,and interesting facts of the 1800's make this novel based on true events, a book to really lose yourself in.

3.5, but I'm glad it has to show as 4 because the author is one to watch.

