Welcome to mystery author Jack Byrne!
I am married with two kids and although I was born and raised in an
Irish catholic family in Liverpool UK, I now live in Hungary. I had no career
as such, most working people don’t, we move from job to job, if we are lucky we
have a skill, but still move from job to job. I have done everything from
factory work, to setting up and running my own businesses, some more successful
than others. I currently run a small English language school in a lovely
town set around a lake. I gained a Bachelor's degree in English at the age of
forty, when I left school at sixteen I had no qualifications.
I am two and half books into the four novels that make up The Liverpool Mystery Series, each can be read independently, but reading all of them will help you get more out of each one. The first book I wrote was Under The Bridge set in Garston, Liverpool. I am currently querying that with agents and publishers so am holding off on self publishing it.
The Morning After is the second and will be available for pre order very soon, it was writing this book that I realised this was a series all along. I am currently writing Fire Next Time and The Wicklow Boys will follow. Each are stand alone novels and you can read them in any order, like our lives they are a moment in time, connected to what happens before and after.
Website and other links to your social
media pages: (
Tell us about your life outside of writing.
I spend my time between teaching and looking after two kids, 2 cats and
a dog. I enjoy spending time with my family, a few beers with friends, and
reading about how the world is going to pot. Nothing has beaten The Wire and
Sopranos yet, though I waste my time trying to find a substitute.
Do you have a work in progress?
My work in progress is called Fire Next Time and is centered around
a young guy who’s life is turned upside down when he witnesses the arrest of a
climate change protester who later dies in police custody. The main character
Charlie becomes involved in the movement and uncovers some disturbing
information about the arresting officer, as a result the most immediate danger
to his life is not climate change.
What was the most difficult section/piece
you ever wrote? What made it difficult?
In Under The Bridge a father grieves for his son who committed suicide
in the British Army while serving in Northern Ireland. One of my brothers
committed suicide at the age of 19 while serving in the Army in Northern
Ireland, so I am not ashamed to admit the tears flowed while writing those
scenes.
What sort of research do you do for
your work?
Having lived a varied and eventful life, a lot is drawn from experience,
but I do research historical facts for context and timeline. I also try to walk
the routes, see the buildings, and taste the atmosphere of settings.
Which books and authors do you read for
pleasure? Is there an author that inspires you?
The list is long and wide, Emile Zola’s Germinal was an early world
changer, all of Dickens. An amazing book passed hand to hand in working class
communities especially in Liverpool ‘The ragged trousered philanthropists.” by
Robert Tressell. Classics thrillers from Le Carre, Follet, and so many
more.
Was there a person who encouraged you
to write?
No. I wrote a novel about 30 years ago. A couple of family members read
it and enjoyed it. I thought it was ok, but I didn’t have confidence in myself
or my writing. I gave it to my best friend at the time, he never bothered to
read it. Then recently I started writing again, and a teacher who worked with
us read it, and kept asking for the next chapter- suddenly I had an audience
that wanted to read what I was writing, and the floodgates kinda opened. So
thanks Ronan!
Under
the Bridge
A
body is unearthed close to the docks. Ann, a cub reporter, is assigned to what should
be a routine story. Her friend Vinny struggles to overcome his demons and
uncover the secrets connecting a Liverpool/Irish gang, a vanished father, and
the police war in Ireland. Despite threats, together they unravel the threads
of police corruption, crime, and murder.
The
Morning After
One
day 35 years apart changes everything. 1981 in Liverpool, riots and
unemployment set the scene for a group of friends. A robbery, a watch, and an
old man’s death changes their lives forever. 2016 – Brexit and austerity
dominate the news. A car crash and a drug overdose force Vinny to face a secret
that has haunted him since childhood.
Fire
Next Time
The
world is burning. Liverpool FC are heading for their first title in 30 years
and Charlie Dwyer is happy, until his world is turned upside down by the death
of a climate protester in police custody. Charlie is drawn into climate
rebellion unaware the most immediate danger to his life is not global warming.
The
Wicklow Boys
Where
the story begins… The last will be first will be last and the last will be
first. Chronologically, the first in the series, the last to be written. Vinny
searches for the truth about his father and finds a story of ambush, betrayal,
and flight. In Ireland, Vinny discovers that all history is a matter of life
and death.
THE ONE ROAD
It has been a long time since I read Germinal or since anyone has mentioned it. I recall loving it, but I don't recall why. I believe it was my favorite of the entire series. I need to go revisit Zola. Thanks for the reminder.
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