From 1970s Belfast during the Protestant and Catholic "Troubles" to the calmer but still tense present, MacLaverty (Grace Notes
, shortlisted for the Booker) exploits the subtle nuances of Irish life in these 11 stories. Violence is never far off for his characters, and though they may try to distance themselves from conflict (spatially as well as emotionally), it inevitably finds them. In "On the Roundabout," the short stream-of-consciousness piece that begins the collection, a family outing "like something outa Norman Rockwell" turns into a blood-soaked frenzy of unprovoked violence. In "A Trusted Neighbor," MacLaverty expertly mines the tension between ordinary folk caught in a conflict that only seems far away from their suburban enclave. Terror and comedy coexist in "The Trojan Sofa" when an 11-year-old burglar, caught by his intended victim and held at gunpoint, asks if he can use the bathroom. "The Clinic," a less lively story, features a curmudgeon who turns to Chekhov as his health fails. At his best, MacLaverty recalls Graham Greene, and his control over arc and character packs a wallop. (Sept.)
