"Look I have no idea who or why anyone would want to kill me and my family."
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The Package by Patrick Power Trafford Publishing
book review by C.D.
When we first meet self-made millionaire, Peter Shields, he is a long way from the Irish gangs of his youth. The criminal indiscretions of those early years where he robbed warehouses, scammed government checks, and laundered counterfeit bills, are clearly events of the past. Now a respected business man running a lucrative refuse removal company, he is also a doting father and grandfather, to his only daughter Charley and her family. But when Charley starts receiving vicious threats from drug gangs invading her neighborhood, and local authorities offer little resolve, Shields is forced to take matters into his own hands.
In The Package, Patrick Power takes us into a modern day world of powerful Irish gangs, murderous drug lords, Russian mobsters, and crooked cops. While much of this novel's action takes place on Dublin's Northside, the author's attention to detail, relative to place, does much to lend flavor and authenticity to the choice setting. Here the lawyers are "solicitors," the police are referenced as Gardai, and characters humbly decry their sudden popularity in the public eye as "Today's news tomorrow's fish and chips paper."
With its action-driven storyline, the subject of gang wars reflecting both past and present lives, predictably evokes violence. Verbal threats quickly escalate, and outrage runs the gamut from stabbings and arson, to shootings, pipe bombs, and kidnapping. Power holds the readers attention with a steady narrative flow and smart dialogue. He also shows a special flair for transitioning with sudden unexpected moments that fuel unforeseen developments.
Themes of love, honor, friendship, and loyalty all come into play for the central character, as Shields must connect with his past. Money, power, and vengeance seem the core of the enemy. But beyond this plethora of the criminal element, by introducing a variety of characters throughout the story, from family members to co-workers, security teams to love interests, Power draws readers closer to the heart of Shields, to ultimately reveal a man conflicted by unsavory actions, yet focused on honorable intent.