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The Name ‘Paddy Meehan’ refers to a series of novels written by Denise Mina. The Paddy Meehan books started publication in 2005 and they marked the beginning of Denise’ second series of novels after the Garnethill books which launched the author’s career.
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Order of Paddy Meehan Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Field Of Blood | 2005 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | The Dead Hour | 2006 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Slip of the Knife / The Last Breath | 2007 | Description / Buy |
Denise Mina is a playwright who loves the law and crime drama. A student of Glasgow University, Denise left school at the age of sixteen to undertake various menial jobs such as cooking.
The daughter of an engineer, Denise’s father’s work ensured that the family was always on the move. As such, the author was granted the opportunity to visit and live in places like London and Bergen, not to mention Paris. Despite seemingly abandoning education at an early age, Denise eventually returned to her studies and became a lawyer.
That was in the 1990s and it was during those years that Denise began writing the Garnethill books, this setting her on the path to becoming a recognized author of crime fiction.
The Paddy Meehan novels allowed Denise to tackle crime drama from a different perspective. The books take place in Glasgow in the 1980s. This is a hard time where hunger strikes and riots are rife. The economy is terrible and unemployment is fast becoming a plague.
Paddy Meehan takes center stage as the protagonist of the story. A resident of Glasgow, Paddy is introduced in ‘Field of Blood’, the first book in the series, as a rookie journalist that is looking to land that big break that will launch her career into the stratosphere. Born in a conservative catholic family and unwilling to settle for her humble post, Paddy’s life changes when she decides to investigate the death of an eleven-year-old boy and discovers some unexpected truths.
Paddy Meehan has a lot of faults, the least of which is her temper. Her ambition keeps driving her to strive for more. However, she never seems to catch a break. Even when she breaks big stories, Paddy finds that the shine on her name never lasts long enough for her to climb the ladder to the top.
Paddy Meehan Awards
The Paddy Meehan books have earned Denise Mina nominations for the Edgar Award, the Macavity Award and the Anthony Award, typically in the category of ‘Best Novel’ and ‘Best Mystery’.
The first novel in the series actually won a Barry Award in the Category of ‘Best British Crime Novel’ in 2006.
Paddy Meehan Books into Movies/TV
The Paddy Meehan books were turned into a British Television series in 2011 called ‘The Field of Blood’. Featuring Peter Capaldi and David Morrissey, not to mention Jayd Johnson, the first season of the series constituted two episodes and adapted the first Paddy Meehan novel.
The second season was also two episodes long and that one adapted ‘The Dead Hour’, the second Paddy Meehan novel.
Best Paddy Meehan Books
The Paddy Meehan series is one of Denise Mina’s most popular because it features such a likable protagonist, with some of the best books in the series including:
Field of Blood: When a young child is murdered, Paddy Meehan is the rookie journalist who will stop at nothing to learn the truth behind the crime, not only because she needs to break a major story for her career’s sake but also because the dead child was her fiancé’s cousin.
To better understand the crime, Paddy is forced to dig into Glasgow’s past in order to solve a mystery that could affect the future.
The first Paddy Meehan novel finds the rookie journalist looking for a way to finally prove herself.
The Dead Hour: Paddy Meehan broke a major story three years. However, that didn’t prevent her from being assigned to the night shift. The work is hardly inspiring but, with her family in such dire straits, Paddy knows she needs the money.
Paddy is pulled into a dramatic situation when she comes across an elegant blond with a head injury. However, not only does the blonde refuse Paddy’s help but a man suddenly emerges and pays Paddy to keep what she saw out of the newspapers.
By the next morning, the news is awash with the story of a woman that was tortured and beaten, the same woman Paddy saw. There is no mention of the man Paddy met, though.
Alarmed and confused, Paddy begins to work the case and discovers the blonde’s identity as a woman of privilege who worked as a prosecution lawyer. As Paddy digs further, she begins to uncover the sorts of juicy pieces of news that could make her career.
However, Paddy doesn’t know how to proceed without revealing that she accepted a bribe.
Other Book Series You May Like
The “Harry Hole” Series by Jo Nesbo. The Harry Hole books follow the exploits of a brilliant detective working with the Oslo Crime Squad. Harry is a heavy smoker with a complicated life. He uses unorthodox methods to solve cases.
Also the “Penn Cage” Series by Greg Iles. Penn Cage is a former prosecutor who suffers a tragedy and tries to get his act together by writing. His life is repeatedly drawn into situations involving racial violence, family and other Southern themes. Penn Cage appears in a number of novels by Greg Iles as a minor character.
What Is The Next Book in The Paddy Meehan Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Paddy Meehan Series. The newest book is Slip of the Knife / The Last Breath and was released on August, 1st 2007.