Detective Inspector Sean Duffy and Detective Constable McCrabban were called to a warehouse where they found a trail of blood leading to a nearby dumpster. Upon further investigation, the duo found a torso in a suitcase. The torso had been frozen for a while before being moved to the suitcase.

The victim turned out to be an American tourist who used to be in the military and was a retired Internal Revenue Service inspector from Massachusetts.

The detectives questioned why he was in Ireland in the midst of the 1982 Troubles, and who would poison him and go to the trouble of disposing the body as they did.

During this time Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands and riots were rampant in Belfast. Detectives Duffy and Matty McBride were sent to what turned out to be a half-hearted riot. As they were leaving their Land Rover was hit by a jerry-can petrol bomb and also received machine gun fire that didn’t seem to have anything to do with the riot.

Duffy found that the victim’s brother was killed a few months prior and the detective working that case was himself killed when he attempted to reopen the case. Later, Duffy was warned not to pursue the case by such organizations as the FBI, British intelligence, and local paramilitary death squads.

His strong personality would not let him give up on the case and he eventually picked it back up and brought it to an explosive conclusion.

I Hear the Sirens in the Street is book two of The Troubles Trilogy written by Adrian McKinty following The Cold Cold Ground, and basically picks up a short time after the first book leaves off. Duffy continues to live in Carrickfergus and is working with DC McCrabban and McBride.

The story was set in Northern Ireland circa 1982 at a time known for major violence, bombs, beatings and murder. Within this setting the author created a strong time and place series of stories as riveting as they were shocking. No matter how harsh the story, the vivid picture and fast-paced dialogue kept the pages turning.

This book has a bit of everything from high drama, mystery, romance, and occasional humor. Somehow the main character is able to find humor in the midst of the horrible living conditions that cause death and destruction on a daily basis. Fans will want to keep reading through the whole series. While you can read them out of order, it is best to start at the beginning to get the full thrust of the times.

A special thank you goes to Seventh Street Books for providing us with a review copy. Adrian McKinty's, The Troubles Series, are on Amazon.