Librarian Tim recommends:

Ken Bruen - The White Trilogy (this book is available through inter-library loan)

Collecting A White Arrest, Taming the Alien and The McDead, this introduces two of Irish noir writer Ken Bruen's finest creations, the unlikely duo of Chief Inspector Roberts and Detective Sergeant Brant. While Roberts isn't exactly a do-gooder, he's positively a saint compared to the amoral and brutal Brant. This dichotomy makes them such a fascinating pair to follow as the cover London (and New York in one memorable story) in search of the legendary "white arrest", putting the collar on a criminal so dangerous that it makes their career and puts them on the fast track for glory. To that end they track seedy London vigilantes, cricket team murderers, and a wicked thug who is stalking Brant from the depths of London's vile underworld. Bruen is one of my favorites, and his short, curt writing style does take a bit of getting used to. But once you grow accustomed to the short blasts of staccato dialogue (think David Mamet or James Ellroy) you realize how wonderfully expressive his storytelling style is. These certainly aren't cozies, they are nasty, brutish and violent; but if you enjoy police procedurals that are thoughtfully and uniquely written, Bruen is a writer not to miss.

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