Ken Bruen -- Purgatory

I've read all Ken Bruen's Jack Taylor novels, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that being Jack's friend is possibly more dangerous than being Travis McGee's girlfriend.  This book really doubles down on that.  While Jack is personally doing pretty well, especially financially, you can't say the same for anyone he knows.  

Jack's clean and sober (some of the time), and a serial killer known as C33 wants him to play. Jack's not interested, so C33 has fun without him.  And with him, too.  There's a slight attempt at misdirection, but I don't think anybody's going to be surprised at C33's identity.  

Galway is depicted vividly and sadly here, as it often is, with priests and coppers figuring in.  There are references to past novels that long-time readers of the series (like me) will appreciate.  And there's one passage that's so meta that I have to quote it here.  Mr. Westbury, a lawyer, says to Jack, "'What a turn of phrase you have.  Have you ever considered writing?  They tell me mystery is the money spinner these days and Lord knows, you talk in a disjointed fashion that might even pass for style."  Any fan of Bruen's work will get a laugh out of that.  Check it out.