As I was driving to work one April morning last year, RenĂ©e Montagne, host of NPR’s Morning Edition introduced a story I just couldn’t turn off. Irish author—The Man Booker Prize—many literary novels—one of the finest living writers. Okay. She had my attention. He’s turned to writing hard-boiled crime fiction… I’m afraid I may have groaned with a dark, gnawing anticipation.