Declan Burke photo

Declan Burke

Declan Burke is the author of four novels: Eightball Boogie and Slaughter's Hound, both featuring the private eye Harry Rigby; Absolute Zero Cool; and The Big O.

Crime Always Pays, a comedy crime caper, will be published by Severn House in 2014.

He is also the editor of Down These Green Streets, a collection of essays, interviews and short fictions about the rise of Irish crime writing.

With John Connolly, he is the co-editor of Books To Die For, a collection of essays by the world's leading crime writers on the subject of their favourite crime novels and authors.

Eightball Boogie, Absolute Zero Cool and Slaughter's Hound were all shortlisted in the crime fiction category for the Irish Book Awards.

Absolute Zero Cool won the Goldsboro Last Laugh Award at Crimefest 2012.

Praise for Declan Burke:

“A fine writer at the top of his game.”

Lee Child.

“Prose both scabrous and poetic.”

Publishers Weekly.

“Proust meets Chandler over a pint of Guinness.” The Spectator.

“A sheer pleasure.” Tana French.

“A hardboiled delight.” The Guardian.

“Imagine Donald Westlake and Richard Stark collaborating on a screwball noir.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review).

“The effortless cool of Elmore Leonard at his peak.” Ray Banks.

“Among the most memorable books of the year, of any genre, was ABSOLUTE ZERO COOL.” Sunday Times.

“The writing is a joy.” Ken Bruen.

“A cross between Raymond Chandler and Flann O’Brien.” John Banville.


“An erect building is a shackled slave. I hear the mutinous grumbling of vertical buildings. I hear the grinding frustration of those compelled against their will to remain standing. A building is energy crucified against space and time.”
Declan Burke
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