Love this series and was delighted to have a chance to read the newest installation! McKinty does it again and Sean Duffy is an unforgettable character!

Hang on St. Christopher by Adrian McKinty, narrated by Gerald Doyle

This is the eighth book in the series and I have read and/or listened to all of them. And they keep getting better.

I enjoy McKinty’s writing style – DI Sean Duffy’s sarcasm, dry wit, sense of humor and the camaraderie between him and the more laid back DS McCrabban. Duffy has a way of using unorthodox methods while solving a case which adds to the thrill, but also gets himself into hot water – both in the general sense and with his colleagues.

This story is based on real events and Duffy and his team must find the murderer of the assassins without affecting the peace process in Northern Ireland. I enjoy learning about Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

Gerald Doyle is an excellent narrator and he perfectly portrays the characters. When I have read the books (instead of listening) I can hear Doyle’s voices for Duffy and McCrabben.

Thank you to NetGalley, Adrian McKinty , Gerald Doyle and Blackstone Publishing Audiobooks for an advanced copy of this audio book.

I enjoyed the narrator on this one quite a bit. I had not read the other books in the series but I do feel this would be fine as a standalone as I was not super out of the loop. That being said I enjoyed the characters and would definitely read the rest of this series from the beginning.

✧ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰʀᴇᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ, @Blackstone @netgalley

➤ 𝚂𝚈𝙽𝙾𝙿𝚂𝙸𝚂

It’s July 1992, and Belfast is still burning. Detective Inspector Sean Duffy, now a part timer with one foot in Scotland and the other in the Troubles, just wants to coast into retirement without drawing fire. But when a carjacking leaves a painter dead and his young partner is off sipping drinks in Spain, Duffy gets pulled into a mess that smells all wrong. Turns out, the victim wasn’t just a lonely artist, he was an IRA hitman. What follows is Duffy’s most brutal case yet, with the CIA, MI5, and Special Branch all playing their own dirty hands. Bodies drop, politics tighten, and Duffy’s forced to figure out who killed the killer, and why, before everything, including the fragile peace process, goes up in smoke. Based on true events, Hang on St. Christopher doesn’t pull punches..

➤ 𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚄𝙶𝙷𝚃𝚂

This one hooked me fast. Duffy is older, a little wearier, now splitting time between Scotland and Belfast just to keep his pension. It should be an easy six day a month gig, but Duffy is a magnet for chaos, and this time the danger feels sharper, closer, more final. I kept thinking, there’s no way he makes it out. The story barrels forward with sharp, clipped writing, dark humor, and a gritty sense of place. The tension is thick, the dialogue is smart, and the Troubles are never just background noise.

The narration by Gerald Doyle is spot on, dry and clever, perfectly matched to Duffy’s sarcasm and world weariness. The balance here is what I loved most, mystery, suspense, humor, all working in sync. It’s violent, it’s smart, and it never lets up. I enjoyed every minute of it, and I’m already hoping there’s another one coming.

The exquisite partnership of Adrian McKinty and Gerard Doyle offers up another outstanding Sean Duffy thriller. It's almost too good to be true. McKinty is never on surer ground than he is in Carrickfergus recounting the escapades of his brilliant Peeler. And no one else could voice Duffy other than Gerard Doyle. A Duffy novel is always an event in my life. Every word to be savoured, slowly. Sean, I love you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ALC!

This is Duffy's most violent and dangerous case yet and the whole future of the burgeoning "peace process" may depend upon it. Based on true events, Duffy must unentangle parallel operations by the CIA, MI5 and Special Branch. Duffy attempts to bring a killer to justice while trying to keep himself and his team alive as everything unravels around them. They might not all make it out of this one. This is book #8 in the Detective Sean Duffy series by Adrian McKinty.

I have not read all of the series but I still enjoyed this audiobook and I didn't feel that I was missing any of the back story or history of Detective Duffy. I love the Irish accent in the narration of the book, but at times, I did have trouble understanding some of the dialogue as the accent was so thick. Like the others I've read in this series, it's peppered with dark humor, unethical practices, but a loyalty to solve the case. It's hard not to love Det. Duffy even if you find shaking your head often throughout the book(s).

Adrian McKinty delivers another compelling installment in the Sean Duffy series with Hang On St. Christopher. Duffy's sharp wit and the gritty backdrop of 1990s Northern Ireland continue to captivate. The plot, which weaves together local crime with international intrigue, is well-paced and keeps you guessing. Gerard Doyle's narration perfectly embodies Duffy's character and the atmosphere of the time. While perhaps not as groundbreaking as some of the earlier books, this is still a solid and enjoyable read for fans of the series and crime fiction in general.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Just when we thought Sean Duffy of the Belfast RUC had worked his last case and was slowly easing into semi-retirement, he’s back and embroiled in a case more dangerous than any he’s worked yet.

It’s July 1992 and the troubles in Northern Ireland are still unresolved. DI Sean Duffy might be expected to be leading a quiet life now that he is a semi-retired part time officer, working six days per month until he racks up enough time for a full pension. Living with his partner Beth and daughter Emma across the sea in Portpatrick, he commutes by ferry to to carry out routine policing and desk work in Carrickfergus along with his old mate DS John McCrabben (‘Crabbie’), also now a part timer while waiting to clock up enough time for his pension.

With Lawson, the new DI in charge, away on vacation in Tenerife, Duffy and Crabbie are called out to a murder where it appears the victim, a middle-aged artist, was the subject of a car-jacking gone wrong. However, Sean senses something is not right about the accident scene and eventually finds himself embroiled in investigating his most dangerous case yet.

Those who have followed this series know that Duffy is a bit of a renegade, a good cop with good instincts; he doesn’t always follow orders (or behave ethically), but will always do what is right for those he works with, but this case could end up being the death of him.

Terrific as always, this is Duffy at his best with the stoic Crabbie by his side, caught up in a complex political intrigue. The plot is fast paced with never a dull moment, dripping with dark humour and Sean’s trademark witty dialog and musings on music. I listened to the audiobook, which was excellently narrated by Gerald Doyle, who does a superb job in bringing Sean Duffy to life.

A solid police procedural. I didn't realize this was part of a series but it read fine as a stand alone. The main character Sean Duffy (detective) takes on a case set in 1992. It's suspenseful and atmospheric. I really enjoyed this author. The audio was smooth with great intonation from the narrator. I highly recommend the audio version of this story. I can't wait to go back and read more from this series.

Hang on St. Christopher - Adrian McKinty
Rating - DNF - 2/5
Pub Date - 3/4/25
Thoughts - Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Audio for this gifted advanced reader audio in exchange for my honest review. Ugh, I'm so sad, but I couldn't get into this book. Not sure if it was the accent or just how slow the writing was, I got about halfway and decided to stop. The premise seemed really interesting, which is why I kept trying to give it a chance. I couldn't get into it and kept getting distracted while listening, so maybe this is just a me thing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone for the preview copy of this audiobook.

I'm a big fan of McKinty's Sean Duffy thrillers and this didn't disappoint...

Sean is getting a bit long in tooth but still has to deal with the murky world of crime in Northern Ireland..
I do enjoy the setting of the books and the protagonists world weary but slightly sarcastic take on the complications of trying to police Ulster with all the factions involved

Would recommend

3.75-Star ARC Review: Hang On St. Christopher by Adrian McKinty

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Hang On St. Christopher in exchange for my honest review.

This gritty, fast-paced noir is soaked in atmosphere and loaded with McKinty’s signature sharp prose. From the first page, the tone is edgy and dark, pulling readers into a world of danger, secrets, and morally gray characters. It reads like a back-alley ballad—moody, stylish, and relentless.

The pacing is tight, and the dialogue crackles with attitude. There’s a cinematic feel to the storytelling that keeps the action moving and the stakes high. McKinty knows how to craft tension, and he doesn’t hold back.

That said, while I was fully along for the ride, I didn’t find myself as emotionally invested as I have with some of McKinty’s other novels. A few plot turns stretched believability a bit, and some of the character development felt a touch thin. Still, this is a solid and entertaining thriller with a distinctive voice and plenty of grit. Fans of noir and crime fiction will find a lot to enjoy here.

Charming performance of the narration by Gerald Doyle.

Interesting murder mystery set in 1992. I was unaware that it was part of a series but it didn’t matter, the narrative filled in the blanks and didn’t leave the reader hanging.

Story was solid and ended in a satisfying manner.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.


I MUST go back and start this series!!! I have read/listened to other Adrian McKinty books and loved them. This was my first Duffy.
I feel like I miss some nuisances not having read his series.

ONTO book 1

2.5 stars rounded down.

This started off okay for me, a procedural detective whodunnit case set in the 90s. I liked that the author mixes in comedic dialogues to give it a lighter feel. However, I couldn’t get invested in the mystery, especially towards the end when it should have been. Sean got too irritating for me in the middle. I don’t think the plot with his neighbor was necessary at all.

I would still read his other standalone books though. Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the audiobook!

I will preface this by saying I have not read the previous books in this series, and it seems like I should have before reading this one. But even so, I enjoyed the story and characters. Gerald Doyle is a wonderful, engaging narrator.

This is book 8 in the Sean Duffy series. I have read a few, but not all, in the series. This may or may not have impacted my review, but I didn't feel like anything substantial was missing as I listened.

I enjoy the Sean Duffy series and the IRA era setting. I really enjoy McKinty's writing style and the author does a great job building suspense. While the pace could have been faster, overall I enjoyed this novel, and will continue to read Adrian McKinty!

📚 Hang On St. Christopher by Adrian McKinty 📚

Dark, gritty, and razor-sharp—McKinty delivers another crime thriller that pulls no punches. This police procedural is packed with fast pacing, smart dialogue, and some seriously addictive character banter.

I jumped into the series with this book, and while I’m sure I missed some context from earlier installments, I never felt lost. The story stands strong on its own, but now I definitely want to go back and read the others.

And the audiobook? 🔥 Gerald Doyle absolutely nails it, making the tension and atmosphere even more immersive. Four stars and a big thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing-Audiobooks for the chance to listen! 🎧🔎✨

The eighth Sean Duffy novel finds the sharp-witted detective working part-time to secure his pension—until a seemingly straightforward murder case lures him back into the thick of things. A man is found shot outside his caravan, his car missing. At first glance, it’s a botched carjacking, but seasoned readers know Duffy’s cases are never that simple. As he and longtime partner McCrabban dig deeper, they uncover a web of secrets that turns their “quick case” into a lethal puzzle.

McKinty once again delivers a taut, atmospheric police procedural that blends historical authenticity with razor-sharp plotting. Like Rankin’s Rebus or Nesbø’s Harry Hole, Duffy’s evolution feels natural, making each book richer than the last. Fans of intelligent crime fiction should dive in—just start from book one, because once you do, you won’t stop.

A must-read for lovers of dark, intricate mysteries. Bonus: a prequel exploring Duffy’s early years is on the way!

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for this audio arc. This was a really good and suspenseful audio. I enjoyed the chain and the island by this author as well.