DARK HORSE
“Boston cop Eddy Harkness returns in a second turbo-charged adventure that kicks off with an apocalyptic flood and incorporates Colonial bylaws, big-city corruption, and a highly entertaining cast of characters.”
— The Boston Globe
“Populated with crafty politicians and hard-core activists raging against the machine, Flynn’s follow-up to Third Rail is a terrific atmospheric thriller. Fans of Dennis Lehane and Robert B. Parker will welcome this Boston cop.”
— Library Journal
“I don’t anticipate that the Boston Chamber of Commerce will be passing out copies of Dark Horse any time soon, but they are probably missing a bet in not doing so. Flynn does such a terrific job of describing the twists and turns of the environs of Boston that one is tempted to visit the city just to do a self-guided tour through the scenes presented here. However, the reason to come – and stay – in Flynn’s world is Harkness, who is realistically steady instead of flashy and is all the more a cop’s cop because of it. Flynn’s series is off to a roaring start with its first two volumes. Considering his present trajectory, it should continue for as long as he wishes.”
— Bookreporter
“In stylish, clipped prose Dark Horse ranges over on the bedrock flint of New England as well as a dynamic city that’s still got plenty of grit but is hardly the “dirty old Boston” exemplified in classics of the genre like George V. Higgins’s Friends of Eddie Coyle.”
— LitHub
“A perfect follow up to Third Rail, another smart installment in what is a real standout series.”
“Buckle up for a fast ride. . . .it’s a great, great read.”
“Dark Horse is an intriguing and suspenseful mystery… a solid, strong entry in this promising series.”
— Mysterious Reviews
“Flynn is an extremely observant, skillful writer…and Harkness is an attractive character.”
— Publishers Weekly
THIRD RAIL
“A nail-biting rip-roaring conclusion had me turning the pages fast – Rory Flynn’s debut thriller is an accomplished work. Can’t ask for anything more except the next Eddy Harkness story.”
“One of the best crime fiction releases I’ve had the pleasure of reading so far this year. Eddy is an excellent character, one I can’t wait to see more of, and his story is something of a genre standout.”
“The sheer recklessness with which Harkness pursues his own ends and the demons that drive him are highly original. Flynn’s high-octane prose and his loose cannon hero make this a series to watch.”
— Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine
“Third Rail was varying shades of fantastic, and just the kind of read that can quench a thirst you didn’t even know you had. Crime fiction is the distant cousin I keep forgetting I have, but when we’re reunited, I remember EXACTLY why I loved being around them so much. Third Rail was crime fiction at its best, and the beginning of my rekindled love affair with its genre.”
“A promising debut. And the series, with its throbbing, cocksure prose, is one to watch. Eddy, for all his faults, does give a shit. In the bleaker-than-thou pissing contest that is neo-noir, a little heart can go a long way.”
“I don’t know if we necessarily need another police procedural series, but we do need this one. Third Rail, the debut novel of Rory Flynn (a pseudonym for veteran noir novelist Stona Fitch), contains elements that result in it fitting comfortably in the mystery and thriller genres – and yes, the police procedural genre as well. It has enough twists, turns and disparate elements to make even the most jaded reader of those genres sit up and take notice.”
“A terrific debut…impressive, stylish, sophisticated. Readers will want to see more of Flynn’s gritty Boston–and of Eddy Harkness.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Things heat up and bodies turn up in this high-powered police thriller.”
— Library Journal
“Glows with the kind of sawdust-dry humor regarding Boston, cops, and the darkest of urban underbellies that you might find at 3 a.m. in the back booth of a backstreet bar.” (more)
– Boston Globe
“Third Rail makes it to my highly recommended list for being dark, gritty, and a standout! I can’t wait for more Eddy Harkness!” (more)
– No More Grumpy Bookseller Blog
“A beautifully dark story set in a gritty and dangerous visually compelling world. If you like noir, hardboiled fiction by Dashiell Hammett and JD Rhoades, you’ll love Rory Flynn’s Third Rail.” (more)
– Rabid Readers Blog