Joey is used to the streets of Dublin but he’s ready to move on, to make something of himself beyond the world of crime. He wants to get away from the dodgy dealings of the past, make them disappear like his stepdad, Vinnie. When there’s talk of Vinnie returning and the local gangs looking for him, Joey gets drawn back in.
Crying Wolf is a gritty tale of an all-too-real Dublin. The sound of the Luas, the smells of the coastal drive out past Fairview and the feel of the cobblestones of Trinity are palpable, as described here. This book is populated with memorable characters as seen through the eyes of Joey. His girlfriend Sharon is the ideal to which he aspires, a way out of the usual humdrum, herself attending Trinity and trying to keep up with the norms there. His aunt, his mother, his old friend Weso and the looming shadows of criminals like Quinlan are all entrenched in Joey’s mind, peppered throughout with the nightmares he keeps having, mixing all of these up, reminding him of past traumas.
Joey himself is a great character. You really get to know a young man struggling with the death of his own father when he was younger, and coming to terms with becoming an adult with a job and a life away from crime. There is a very interesting subplot around restorative justice that gives us a great insight into the innate goodness of Joey. He’s also clever and resourceful, quietly assessing people as they harangue him for information about the recently returned-to-town Vinnie. He gives away very little in return.
All things must come to a head though, and the conclusion of Crying Wolf leaves a lot to think about in the city of Dublin.
Derek Carney
Crying Wolf
James Butler
Little Island Books, 2024
Paperback, £8.99
ISBN: 9781915071507
