War of the Blue Roses - Coming Soon!

Since reading Yours Confidentially last year, I've been eagerly anticipating the next Garbhan Downey novel. Well, I'm currently reading an ARC of War of the Blue Roses. I'm on chapter 5 at the minute, and this could well be his finest work to date.

While I work my way through the book and procrastinate for the required amount of time before reviewing it, why don't you guys feast your eyes on this fantastic John McCloskey cover? McCloskey, besides being a double Celtic Film Festival gold torc-winner for animation is also the former guitarist with Derry punk legends Bam Bam and the Calling. And when you're done gawking at that, have a read through the Guildhall Press press release.

COMING SOON...COMING SOON...COMING SOON

‘War of the Blue Roses’

by Garbhan Downey


Who knew this flower-growing business could be so dangerous?

Guildhall Press are delighted to announce the release next month of ‘War of the Blue Roses’, the riotous new novel from Garbhan Downey.

‘War of the Blue Roses’ – the much-anticipated sequel to Downey’s widely-acclaimed comedy-thriller ‘Running Mates’ (2007) – is a rollicking black comedy set in the world of international politics.

In the book, a US sponsored gardening competition in the little country village of Mountrose ends up throwing three governments into turmoil when it sparks a worldwide race to grow the world’s first blue rose. The Irish premier is forced to team up with semi-reformed gangsters to stop British and American politicians shanghaiing the Mountrose Prize and walking off with a billion-dollar patent. Bugging, burglary, sabotage, murder and sexual deceit – it’s all part of the rose-growing business. And the bad guys are even worse…

‘Roses’ is Downey’s fifth novel and is set to enhance his reputation as a top-class writer. His last book, ‘Yours Confidentially: Letters of a would-be MP’, was listed by a number of reviewers on their ‘Book of the Year’ lists – and was one of the Philadelphia Inquirer’s seven International Crime Fiction ‘must-reads’ of 2008. Downey’s debut novel, ‘Private Diary of a Suspended MLA’, was described in the Sunday Times as “the best Northern Ireland political novel of the century”.

The cover of ‘Roses’ is designed by the award-winning animator John McCloskey, whose film ‘Crumblegiant’ was nominated for a BAFTA in 2008.

For further information about the author and details of his books, please visit: www.ghpress.com or www.garbhandowney.com