A NEW YORK TIMES AND ECONOMIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • From the award-winning author comes the gripping tale of one of the most scandalous murderers in modern Irish history, at once a propulsive work of true crime and an act of literary subversion.

“A masterpiece”—The Observer • “Disturbing [and] compelling”—Colm To�b�n • “Superb and unforgettable"—Sally Rooney • “Brilliant”—New York Times Book Review • “A masterly work”—John Banville • “Fascinating”—Emmanuel Carr�re • “Morally complex and mesmerizing”—Fintan O'Toole

Malcolm Macarthur was a well-known Dublin socialite. Suave and urbane, he passed his days mingling with artists and aristocrats, reading philosophy, living a life of the mind. But by 1982, his inheritance had dwindled to almost nothing, a desperate threat to his lifestyle. Macarthur hastily conceived a plan: He would commit bank robbery, of the kind that had become frightfully common in Dublin at the time. But his plan spun swiftly out of control, and he needlessly killed two innocent civilians. The ensuing manhunt, arrest, and conviction amounted to one of the most infamous political scandals in modern Irish history, contributing to the eventual collapse of a government.

Winner of the Wellcome and Rooney Prizes, Mark O'Connell spent countless hours in conversation with Macarthur—interviews that veered from confession to evasion. Through their tense exchanges and O’Connell’s independent reporting, a pair of narratives unspools: a riveting account of Macarthur's crimes and a study of the hazy line between truth and invention. We come to see not only the enormity of the murders but the damage that’s inflicted when a life is rendered into story.

At once propulsive and searching, A Thread of Violence is a hard look at a brutal act, its subterranean origins, and the long shadow it casts. It offers a haunting and insightful examination of the lies we tell ourselves—and the lengths we'll go to preserve them.

About the Author

MARK O'CONNELL is the author of Notes from an Apocalypse and To Be a Machine, which was awarded the 2019 Rooney Prize for Irish Literature and the 2018 Wellcome Book Prize and short-listed for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction. He is a contributor to The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, The New York Times Magazine, and The Guardian.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

BookOutlet.com specializes in the sale of publisher overstocks and quality remainders (also known as "Bargain Books"). We have been in business over 30 years providing excellent customer service backed by our 110% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee. We have almost 90,000 titles, 18 million copies in-stock, covering most categories. Our children's selection is especially large offering 1st quality product for all age groups. Thank you for shopping with BookOutlet! Please contact us if you need to process a return; our customer service team will respond with a Return Authorization Number and once we have received your return you will be reimbursed for the cost of the item but not the shipping charge on the original order or the cost associated with sending the item back to us. We do not accept returns without a Return Authorization Number (RAN).

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Book Depot Inc.
67 Front Street North, Thorold, ON, L2V 1X3, Canada

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

All our product is backed by our 110% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee.

Product is shipped next business day from our US or Canadian warehouse to ensure
quick delivery and no cross-border issues.

For more information please send us an email (service@bookoutlet.com)

Thank you for shopping with BookOutlet!

Shipping Terms

Shipping costs are based on books weighing 2.2 LB, or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	5 to 14 business days	3 to 6 business days
First item	US$ 3.25	US$ 8.00

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.