Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with author Jonathan Dunne to talk about The Black Hand (9 May 2018, Tirgearr Publishing, 312 pages), a Crime Mystery.
Jonathan’s penchant for horror and fantasy serve his mysteries well. The biting flavor of his writing is present form the opening paragraphs . . . The story is complex – rightly so – and the synopsis serves it well . . . Jonathan Dunne has successfully created a niche - a blend of crime, horror, violence, all told with that special sense of Irish grace that keeps the reader closely aligned with the characters. He continues to build a strong literary stance. ~ Grady Harp, San Francisco Review of Books and Amazon
|| Synopsis || Teaser: KCR Preview || Author Q&A || About the Author || Giveaway & Tour Stops ||
A very warm welcome to Jonathan Dunne; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!
What was the inspiration for The Black Hand?
How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?
Ah, the joys of commuting, and incredibly two hours a day is not even that much... my hat off to you for being able to be productive in that time; I generally just fall asleep... :-P
Thank you for sharing.
We hope you are having a great tour!
The Black Hand
What was the inspiration for The Black Hand?
"I’ve always been fascinated by people who work in the shadows. Those villains who are free of ego and driven by money are a rarity. They are out there; we just don’t know them which is why they are successful and still free!
Red Right Hand by Nick Cave was my inspiration for this book. Listen to the lyrics. It will make sense!"
Red Right Hand
Take a little walk to the edge of town
And go across the tracks
Where the viaduct looms
Like a bird of doom
As it shifts and cracks
Where secrets lie in the border fires
In the humming wires
Hey man, you know
You're never coming back
Past the square, past the bridge
Past the mills, past the stacks
On a gathering storm comes
A tall handsome man
In a dusty black coat with
A red right hand
He'll wrap you in his arms
Tell you that you've been a good boy
He'll rekindle all the dreams
It took you a lifetime to destroy
He'll reach deep into the hole
Heal your shrinking soul
But there won't be a single thing
That you can do
He's a god, he's a man
He's a ghost, he's a guru
They're whispering his name
Through this disappearing land
But hidden in his coat
Is a red right hand
You don't have no money?
He'll get you some
You don't have no car?
He'll get you one
You don't have no self-respect
You feel like an insect
Well don't you worry buddy
'cause here he comes
Through the ghettos and the barrio
And the bowery and the slum
A shadow is cast wherever he stands
Stacks of green paper in his
Red right hand
You'll see him in your nightmares
You'll see him in your dreams
He'll appear out of nowhere but
He ain't what he seems
You'll see him in your head
On the TV screen
And hey buddy, I'm warning
You to turn it off
He's a ghost, he's a god
He's a man, he's a guru
You're one microscopic cog
In his catastrophic plan
Designed and directed by
His red right hand
Songwriters: Nicholas Edward Cave / Mick Harvey / Thomas Wydler
Red Right Hand lyrics © S.I.A.E. Direzione Generale, EMBASSY MUSIC CORP O/B/O MUTE SONG
Take a little walk to the edge of town
And go across the tracks
Where the viaduct looms
Like a bird of doom
As it shifts and cracks
Where secrets lie in the border fires
In the humming wires
Hey man, you know
You're never coming back
Past the square, past the bridge
Past the mills, past the stacks
On a gathering storm comes
A tall handsome man
In a dusty black coat with
A red right hand
He'll wrap you in his arms
Tell you that you've been a good boy
He'll rekindle all the dreams
It took you a lifetime to destroy
He'll reach deep into the hole
Heal your shrinking soul
But there won't be a single thing
That you can do
He's a god, he's a man
He's a ghost, he's a guru
They're whispering his name
Through this disappearing land
But hidden in his coat
Is a red right hand
You don't have no money?
He'll get you some
You don't have no car?
He'll get you one
You don't have no self-respect
You feel like an insect
Well don't you worry buddy
'cause here he comes
Through the ghettos and the barrio
And the bowery and the slum
A shadow is cast wherever he stands
Stacks of green paper in his
Red right hand
You'll see him in your nightmares
You'll see him in your dreams
He'll appear out of nowhere but
He ain't what he seems
You'll see him in your head
On the TV screen
And hey buddy, I'm warning
You to turn it off
He's a ghost, he's a god
He's a man, he's a guru
You're one microscopic cog
In his catastrophic plan
Designed and directed by
His red right hand
Songwriters: Nicholas Edward Cave / Mick Harvey / Thomas Wydler
Red Right Hand lyrics © S.I.A.E. Direzione Generale, EMBASSY MUSIC CORP O/B/O MUTE SONG
"The book is brimming with career criminals, assassins and bank robbers; I would hope I’m not reflected in The Black Hand, at all. However, I’m acutely aware of the romanticism, language and aura surrounding criminals. There was always a grudging admiration for a rogue when growing up, but with education comes a realisation that it is a very dark life.The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for The Black Hand - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.
It can be quite heartbreaking to see youngsters stray down this path. Ultimately, people emulate the leaders in their communities and unfortunately some of those leaders are gangsters. These novels should have a moral compass that outlines the futility and ultimately, where the road ends. It is not a nice place no matter what the options."
"The wonderful Cora Graphics are responsible for the cover. It’s an intricate cover with Dublin’s financial district in the background. This district straddles the north and south inner cities; where the novel setting takes place.Why should we read The Black Hand and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?
Section of City Quay between Moss Street and Prince’s Street;
Ulster Bank in the background,
Liberty Hall Spire and Custom House
The lone character represents the protagonist in the book and the colour blue is representative of Ireland’s capital city, Dublin. The fact it’s eye-catching is a bonus."
"It may sound like the easy answer but the ending is like no other. I’ve tried to find parallels to my conclusion but there are none. It’s completely unique. There is a glaring answer to the identity of the Black Hand all through the novel and to put it simply, the idea is wholly original.Who would you recommend The Black Hand to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?
I challenge anyone to prove me wrong."
"If you like The Godfather or any other good crime book…this is for you.If you could / wished to turn The Black Hand into a movie, who would be your dream team?
There is a dark question at the heart of this story, and that’s the identity of the Black Hand and his origins which are not revealed until the final chapters…it is also a whodunnit!!"
"The Black Hand is TV series material. However, you would only get one series out of it. Viewers need a hook and I have one that would catch a whale.What do you like to write and read about? Do you stick to a particular genre or do you like to explore different ones?
It’s a question that needs to be answered and a mystery with succinct clues. There’s audience participation at play and engagement is tailor made in this novel.
Viggo Mortensen would be perfect for Jacob Boylan…And I would get XXXXX to play the Black Hand 😊"
What is your writing process?
"Fantasy books are where I started. School Wars & Fia the Envoy where my fist books. I wanted to start writing in a genre I loved to read. However, there was a lot of crime in those books. Crime was a natural progression.
I don’t believe I’m qualified to give anyone advice, but if I had to offer any, I would say this; if the readers are emotionally invested in the protagonist, they will react positively. Fantasy, however, requires a lot of world building, so if your imagination is creatively inclined…that’s for you."
"I used to write and let the flow take me to my journey's end. Of late, after some good advice, I started to plan my chapters, journey and my ultimate destination. After all, how can you write about organised crime without a master plan?"What is in store next?
"The Florist is my next project. It is the first time I have written in the first person. My protagonist is a moving character with sorrow, treachery and gangsters dogging his life. It is also the study of a man with no choice but to embrace the darkest parts of himself. Ultimately, it’s a the examination of a rise to power and the events that conspired to make this happen."And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?
"Until my ship comes in, I still hold down a 9 to 5 job. I spend two hours a day on the bus, that’s 40 hours a month. I use that time to write and built an Instagram following doing this everyday…here’s the proof!!"
Thank you for sharing.
We hope you are having a great tour!
Ireland's most lethal criminal has returned with hell at his back.
The Black Hand
ONLY 0.99!
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