Helpful Score: 5
Very good mystery novel introducing Paddy Meehan, an 18-year-old Irish Catholic woman living in Glasgow and starting a journalism career as a "copyboy." After reading only part of the first chapter I put the book away for awhile (too grim -- children killing a baby), but when I picked it up again I really enjoyed it. The author did a good job of building an entertaining but thought-provoking character. THis story definitely made me want to read more of the series as it continues; the second book was published in 2006.
I was hesitant to switch from Mina's Garnethill trilogy to her Paddy Meehan books, because I liked the first so well, but I'm glad I did. This was really entertaining and Mina creates an interesting portrait of Irish Catholics in Glasgow in the 1980s. It's very different from Garnethill, but just as good.