Adrian McKinty’s Dead I Well May Be is a gripping and poetic crime thriller that beautifully blends intense action and dark humor, with a glimpse into the criminal world. It follows Michael Forsythe, a teenage Irish immigrant who quickly becomes involved in New York’s Irish mob, only to be betrayed and left for dead in a brutal Mexican prison. Through McKinty’s lyrical and detailed storytelling, the book exceeded my expectations. It gives a heartbreaking and thrilling experience from start to finish.
From the first page, I was drawn into Michael’s violent yet strangely beautiful world. One of the book’s strongest aspects is the main character – Michael Forsythe. Unlike the average crime book protagonist, Michael is not just a violent “thug”, he is deep, smart, and even has a good sense of dark humor. His deep inner monologues are filled with philosophy and the heartbreaking reality of the life he chose.
The novel’s plot is fast-paced and full of unexpected twists, keeping the reader interested through every page. What begins as a semi-tactical crime drama, quickly turns into a survival story as Michael is thrown into the brutal Mexican prison. The pictures he paints are among the most intense of all the crime fiction I’ve read. McKinty’s ability to balance action with the main character’s dialogue keeps the book interesting without sacrificing the intense relationship you have with the story. Every encounter and obstacle Michael faces feels authentic and plausible, adding to the book’s scary realism.
Beyond its thrilling story, Dead I Well May Be explores deeper insights into crazy things like death, revenge, and self-identity. Michael often questioned if his life was predetermined by fate or his own actions, giving it a realistic philosophical layer. The novel also dives into the immigrant experience, highlighting the struggles of immigrants for survival in a foreign land. These themes alone push the book beyond a simple crime thriller, giving it emotional and intellectual weight.
McKinty’s poetic writing style enhances these themes, mixing beauty with brutality in a way that is rarely seen in common thrillers. Overall, Dead I Well May Be is a standout book that offers both heartbreaking action and literary depth. Adrian McKinty’s writing is sharp, vivid, and filled with an overwhelming amount of grit and strangely poeticness. With a blunt protagonist, a devastating storyline, and a detailed thoughtful look into self-identity, the novel is a must-read for fans of crime fiction and thrillers.
