The Blood Miracles is the jaw-dropping sequel to literary wallop that was The Glorious Heresies. One question that's usually asked when it comes to sequels is, do you need to read the first book to understand the sequel? In this case, I would say you don't have to, but you why would you not? You definitely should. Lisa McInerney's Irish is like English ignited with fireworks. It's English mixed with street slang and sparks and action so quick it's surprising the type isn't blurred. She lights a match, stands back and lets the words explode. Because of this, her characters alight off the page and hit your synapses.
The Blood Miracles picks up again with twenty-year-old Ryan Cusack, a drug dealer making his way up higher in the ranks while unraveling the deeper in he gets. There is a new plan this time around that involves mass quantities of Ecstasy pills coming from Italy, a nightclub which will serve as a front for the shady deals and a planned takeover of the current drug scene that's set to blow everyone's minds. Unfortunately, with drug money comes power and with power built on illegal trades, everyone's trust is held by the finest threads which threaten to break apart at any moment. Throughout the ring, from the top rank down to the bottom, the cogs that keep the machine turning are built of suspicion and threats and power moves. Violence and the dark cover of night and making sure you choose the right side is all part of the game. Everyone's a suspect and tangled into the kinds of problems that are usually solved with guns.
The love of Ryan's life, Karine, has had just about enough. While she's getting herself set up for success in life putting in hours and effort studying hard to become a nurse, Ryan's putting hours and effort into playing both sides, trying to keep both his boss and his girlfriend happy. This is an impossibility as Ryan's boss wants him at his side at the snap of his fingers, any time of the day or night, while Karine wants nothing more than for him to leave the fast life and settle down with her. She's given him more than a fair share of chances and so he picks up with Natalie.
Natalie appears to offer everything Ryan needs - apart from actually being Karine, his one true love - she's there in body, mind and spirit, right up until the moment when Ryan makes an accidental discovery that changes everything...
Will Ryan quit the life and settle the conundrums he's gotten himself into - or will he forever be on the run? After all, it's hard to keep up the pace of the fast lane for the long haul.
Judge the cover: 5/5
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