Dan Starkey (series)

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The Dan Starkey novel series is written by Colin Bateman. It revolves around the private detective Dan Starkey and cases that Starkey investigates.

Contents

Characters

1990s

Events of Bateman's debut novel Divorcing Jack (1995), set in Belfast, Northern Ireland, follow a turbulent period in the life of married, cynical and usually drunk journalist Dan Starkey. Dan's wife Patricia leaves him after a drunken party in which he kisses student Margaret. What follows is a darkly comical tale of murder and mystery. The novel was adapted into the film with the same name.

In Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men (1996), protagonist Dan Starkey is tasked with writing a book about "Bobby Fat Boy McMaster", the current heavyweight champion of Ireland, in his upcoming championship fight with Mike Tyson on St. Patrick's Day. When McMaster's wife is kidnapped, Starkey must figure out who's behind it before the varied and numerous factions that McMaster has offended, in his short time in New York, catch up with them.

In Turbulent Priests (1999), based on Wrathlin Island, a small island north of mainland Ireland, Dan Starkey has been sent by Cardinal Daley, the Primate of All Ireland, to investigate reports that the Messiah has returned in the shape of a young girl, Christine, about to start school. Starkey has his wife Patricia and illegitimate child "Little Stevie" join him as he investigates the tiny dry community and meets considerable resistance from the defensive residents.

2000s

In Shooting Sean (2001), Dan Starkey is employed by legendary film star, Sean O'Toole, who is looking to escape his type cast action hero career and move into directing movies. Unfortunately, O'Toole is making a movie based on an infamous IRA member, nicknamed "The Colonel", and events soon lead to Starkey once again struggling to both protect his wife Patricia and illegitimate child "Little Stevie", while also keeping himself alive and writing.

In The Horse with My Name (2002), Dan Starkey is currently both unemployed and single. His estranged wife Patricia, after cancelling their counselling sessions with Relate, has entered into another relationship with someone called Clive and is currently living with him in the family home. Starkey receives a request from Mark Corkery, known as "The Horse Whisperer", to investigate racing entrepreneur Geordie McClean who is apparently not quite as clean as his name would suggest.

In Driving Big Davie (2004), Dan Starkey is invited to Florida by his old friend, "Big Davie", who has a spare honeymoon ticket after being dumped by his erstwhile fiancée. Starkey is back with his wife Patricia and feels he's gotten over the murder of his toddler son "Little Stevie" - however his wife disagrees and declares that an American road trip would do him good. When the opportunity to avenge Stevie's death presents itself, Starkey cannot refuse. A movie adaptation of the novel was planned in 2001, with Steve Bendelack attached as director. [1] [2]

Belfast Confidential (2005) surrounds Dan Starkey and his recent appointment as the editor of Belfast's trendiest magazine, Belfast Confidential, described by Bateman as "a cross between Private Eye and Hello ". [3] After the murder of his close friend Mark McBride, AKA "Mouse", Starkey is convinced by Mouse's Thai bride to take over the editorship and discover who was behind the murder. Starkey discovers that Mouse was working on a list of the 50 most powerful people in the area before his death and decides that those at the top are the most likely suspects. He sets out to discover if this is indeed the case.

2010s

In Nine Inches (2011), the four-year-old son of Jack Caramac, a shock jock radio broadcaster and old friend of Dan Starkey, is kidnapped for one hour and returned unharmed. Starkey, now a self-styled "upmarket private eye", is hired to investigate the kidnapping and ascertain who might have been behind it – a significant task given the number of people offended by Caramac's illustration of the crime and corruption prevalent throughout Belfast. Starkey's investigations lead him to the Miller brothers, officially the Chiefs of Staff for the Ulster Volunteer Force, although viewed by Starkey as merely a group of Shankill Road thugs intent on pedalling drugs across Belfast. The Millers have been attempting to evict a widow named Jean Murray from her house and Starkey intervenes, hoping his knowledge of their drug operation would dissuade any repercussions. Starkey's interference leads to the Murray's house being burnt down with Jean still inside. [4]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Divorcing Jack</i> (film) 1998 British film

Divorcing Jack is a 1998 satirical black comedy. The plot is set around the Northern Irish reporter Dan Starkey who gets entangled in a web of political intrigue and Irish sectarian violence, at the same time as Northern Ireland is set to elect a new Prime Minister. Writer Colin Bateman adapted his own 1995 book as the screenplay.

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<i>Divorcing Jack</i> (novel) 1995 novel by Colin Bateman

Divorcing Jack is the debut novel and first of the Dan Starkey series by Northern Irish author, Colin Bateman, released on 28 January 1995 through Harper Collins. The novel was recognised as one of the San Francisco Review of Books favourite "First books" of 1995–1996.

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<i>Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men</i> 1996 novel by Colin Bateman

Of Wee Sweetie Mice and Men is the second novel of the Dan Starkey series by Northern Irish author, Colin Bateman, released on 25 April 1996 through Harper Collins. The name of the novel is a reference to the John Steinbeck novella Of Mice and Men.

<i>Turbulent Priests</i> 1999 novel by Colin Bateman

Turbulent Priests is the third novel of the Dan Starkey series by Northern Irish author, Colin Bateman, released on 6 December 1999 through Harper Collins. Bateman's usage of Rathlin Island as the book's setting led to Bateman being invited to unveil a "Writer's Chair", commemorating writers of all origin and genre.

<i>Shooting Sean</i> 2001 novel by Colin Bateman

Shooting Sean is the fourth novel of the Dan Starkey series by Northern Irish author, Colin Bateman, released on 8 May 2001 through Harper Collins. The novel was named by Hugh Macdonald as one of The Heralds "paperbacks of the week" in June 2001.

<i>The Horse with My Name</i> 2002 novel by Colin Bateman

The Horse with My Name is the fifth novel of the Dan Starkey series by Northern Irish author, Colin Bateman, released on 5 August 2002 through Headline Publishing Group. Bateman wrote the novel while staying at the Fairyhouse Racecourse in County Meath.

<i>Driving Big Davie</i> 2004 novel by Colin Bateman

Driving Big Davie is the sixth novel of the Dan Starkey series by Northern Irish author, Colin Bateman, released on 5 April 2004 through Headline Publishing Group. Bateman started the novel in response to the death of Joe Strummer, lead singer of The Clash, who he stated was a "huge inspiration on [his] teenage years".

<i>Belfast Confidential</i> 2005 novel by Colin Bateman

Belfast Confidential is the seventh novel of the Dan Starkey series by Northern Irish author, Colin Bateman, released on 7 November 2005 through Headline Publishing Group.

<i>Nine Inches</i> 2011 novel by Colin Bateman

Nine Inches is the eighth novel of the Dan Starkey series by Northern Irish author, Colin Bateman, released on 13 October 2011 through Headline Publishing Group. Fellow crime author, Ian Rankin, recognised the book in The Scotsman as one of his "books of the year" 2011. It was also listed by author Nick Quantrill as one of his "Top 5 Books of 2011".

<i>Murphys Law</i> (novel) 2002 novel by Colin Bateman

Murphy's Law is the first novel of the Martin Murphy series by Northern Irish author Colin Bateman, published on 13 October 2011 through Headline Publishing Group. The novel is adapted from the television series of the same name, created by Bateman and starring James Nesbitt.

<i>Murphys Revenge</i> 2005 novel by Colin Bateman

Murphy's Revenge is the second novel of the Martin Murphy series by Northern Irish author, Colin Bateman, published on 4 April 2005 through Headline Publishing Group.

<i>Reservoir Pups</i> 2003 young adult novel by Colin Bateman

Reservoir Pups is the first novel of the Eddie & the Gang with No Name trilogy by Northern Irish author, Colin Bateman, published on 13 November 2003 through Hodder Children's Books. It is Bateman's first young adult novel.

<i>Cycle of Violence</i> 1995 novel by Colin Bateman

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The Eddie & the Gang with No Name series is a trilogy of young-adult novels, written by Northern Irish author Colin Bateman. The trilogy surrounds a twelve-year-old Eddie and his affiliation with a local gang, the "Reservoir Pups". The trilogy was bought by the publisher Random House for release in America. However, given the drug-related content in the third installment of the series, Random House decided to publish only the first two novels.

References

  1. ↑ "Driving-Big-Davie - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes - NYTimes.com". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  2. ↑ "In brief: Eddie Murphy believes in Shrek | Film | guardian.co.uk". Guardian. 9 March 2001. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  3. ↑ Bateman, Colin. "Belfast Confidential". Colin Bateman. Archived from the original on 23 June 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  4. ↑ Carlyle, Maureen (13 October 2011). "Nine Inches". Shotsmag.co.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2012.


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