Home › Fiction › The Cold Cold Ground

The Cold Cold Ground

by Adrian McKinty

A detective investigation amid Belfast’s Troubles

Regular price $18.74 USD
Regular price $31.24 USD Sale price $18.74 USD
Save 40%

Paperback New

Delivery to your door
In stock·Dispatches in 1–2 business days
Standard shipping* from $4.35
Standard shipping transit* 5–8 business days after dispatch

Faster options are available.

Rates and delivery estimates depend on your destination and item quantity. Estimates are informational only; the final shipping method and rate are selected at checkout.

Secure checkout
American Express Apple Pay DiscoverGoogle Pay Mastercard PayPalVisa
30-day eligible returns Returns & refunds policy

Awards & Recognition

  • Author recognition

    By a New York Times bestselling author

AlbakiReads Editorial

A detective investigation amid Belfast’s Troubles

Set in Northern Ireland in spring 1981, the novel brings together a suspected murder, a serial-killer investigation, and the unrest of the Troubles. Detective Sergeant Duffy must sort through events that seem unrelated, while a victim’s connections to both the IRA and the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force complicate the inquiry. His position as a Catholic policeman leaves him mistrusted across the divides he is trying to navigate. The book’s mystery is closely tied to its historical and political setting, placing the investigation amid hunger strikes, riots, and power cuts.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in crime fiction set during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
  • Readers who enjoy detective investigations shaped by political conflict and divided loyalties.

Themes

Policing and trustPolitical conflictCompeting loyaltiesMurder investigation

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

Fast-paced, evocative, and brutal, The Cold Cold Ground is a brilliant depiction of Belfast at the height of the Troubles--and of a cop treading a thin, thin line--from the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning author Adrian McKinty.

"McKinty is one of the most striking and most memorable crime voices to emerge on the scene in years." --Tana French

Northern Ireland, spring 1981. Hunger strikes, riots, power cuts, a homophobic serial killer with a penchant for opera, and a young woman's suicide that may yet turn out to be murder: on the surface, the events are unconnected, but then things--and people--aren't always what they seem. Detective Sergeant Duffy is the man tasked with trying to get to the bottom of it all. It's no easy job--especially when it turns out that one of the victims was involved in the IRA but was last seen discussing business with someone from the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force. Add to this the fact that, as a Catholic policeman, it doesn't matter which side he's on, because nobody trusts him, and Sergeant Duffy really is in a no-win situation.

Shipping & returnsShipping options, delivery timing, and our return policy.

In-stock items normally dispatch within 1–2 business days. The ZIP-code estimator on this page is informational only; the final shipping method, price, and availability are confirmed at checkout for your full order.

For the initial delivery estimate we use these transit windows after dispatch: Standard 5–8 business days, Expedited 2–4 business days, and Priority 1–2 business days. Holiday delays are not included.

Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in accordance with our return policy.

Customer reviews

M
AlbakiReads
Malaika Taylor

I highly recommend to for anyone looking for inner clarity

T
AlbakiReads
Thomas DiMassa

Great service and fast service

Great shopping experience! The book arrived quickly, was well packaged, and matched the description perfectly. I would definitely shop with you again

O
AlbakiReads
Olivia

Smooth.