320pages. in8. Broché.
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In Colin Bateman's first novel, Divorcing Jack, a witty Belfast newspaper columnist named Dan Starkey gets drunk, falls in lust, and finds himself helplessly mired in trouble with his wife and the law. Shortly after Starkey's wife catches him in the arms of another woman, that woman is murdered and Starkey becomes the prime suspect. Turns out the deceased woman was related to an important political figure, and now thugs from several of Northern Ireland's factions are out to get Starkey. The columnist decides he must track down the killer in order to clear his own name. During the investigation, he uncovers a scandal that could potentially alter the outcome of the next national election--and destroy the country's hopes for peace.
Mostly though, this thriller chronicles the beleaguered journalist's lame efforts to stay out of trouble. Starkey isn't exactly a man of action; in fact, he's a likable character partly because he knows he's a weak man. Late in the book, Starkey sums up his predicament: "The world was still after me, Patricia was still missing, I was still a killer on the run, and I had a disturbing tendency to burst into tears, but I wasn't going to let little things like that get me down." He copes with stress by 1) drinking too much and 2) making jokes. When a nun in a miniature car saves Starkey from a hail of gunfire, for instance, he spends a few moments wondering what the proper name of her headgear is and decides to call it a Godpiece. Dan Starkey makes an entertaining guide to war-torn Northern Ireland, even while he discovers again and again that the pen is not mightier than the sword. --Jill Marquis
The author was born in Northern Ireland in 1962 and educated at Bangor Grammar School before joining the County Down Spectator, where he was deputy editor for many years. In 1990 he received a Journalist's Fellowship to Oxford University for his reports from Uganda, and he has received a Northern Ireland Press Award for his weekly satirical column.
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Destination, rates & speedsSeller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. First Edition. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # GRP9024412
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Seller: WorldofBooks, Goring-By-Sea, WS, United Kingdom
Paperback. Condition: Good. Dan Starkey is a journalist in Belfast, who shares with his wife Patricia an appetite for drinking and dancing. Then Dan meets Margaret, a beautiful and apparently impoverished student, and things begin to get out of hand. And then Margaret is murdered. This novel won the 1994 Betty Trask Prize. The book has been read but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact and the cover is intact. Some minor wear to the spine. Seller Inventory # GOR000106471
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Seller: WorldofBooks, Goring-By-Sea, WS, United Kingdom
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Dan Starkey is a journalist in Belfast, who shares with his wife Patricia an appetite for drinking and dancing. Then Dan meets Margaret, a beautiful and apparently impoverished student, and things begin to get out of hand. And then Margaret is murdered. This novel won the 1994 Betty Trask Prize. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR000647011
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Paperback. Condition: Used; Very Good. Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. Though second-hand, the book is still in very good shape. Minimal signs of usage may include very minor creasing on the cover or on the spine. Seller Inventory # CHL1339334
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Seller: Reuseabook, Gloucester, GLOS, United Kingdom
Paperback. Condition: Used; Good. Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Aged book. Tanned pages and age spots, however, this will not interfere with reading. Seller Inventory # CHL3981000
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Trade Paperback. Condition: Good. Good trade paperback, slight wear. Seller Inventory # 230220-RD23
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Condition: Used: Acceptable. Occasion - Etat Correct - Divorcing jack (1995) - Grand Format. Seller Inventory # 4051365
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Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Ships from the UK. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # GRP17040961
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