The author, looking all serious and profound. It took a few takes.
My debut novel, PENANCE, is scheduled for release by Exhibit A books in the spring of 2013. It’s a multi-generational tale of what happens when family secrets and dirty politics are blown into the light of day by a madman with a gun, all set against Chicago’s history and culture of corruption.The novel features quite a cast – cops, spooks, pols and a few others that defy easy categorization. Most of these folks are a little long in the tooth. PENANCE might be a hell of a story, but this isn’t their first rodeo, not the only story they have to tell. So, in the months leading up to publication, I’m releasing a series of short stories at various spots around the interwebs delving into the pasts of PENANCE’s characters.
The PENANCE short stories
- The Old Rules, at SHOTS Crime & Mystery e-zine from the UK
- Wonderful Country, at Shotgun Honey
- Pillar of Fire, at Chuck Wendig’s TERRIBLEMINDS
- The Patience of History, at It’s a Crime from the UK
All the latest PENANCE pimping
- My author page at Exhibit A
- Me, in The Bookseller – that gave me an author chubby
- A little Chicago history lesson - a guest blog post at Exhibit A
Blurbs! Other writers saying nice shit about me!
“Penance has one foot in Bourne and the other in The Untouchables, but tells a very human story of loss and atonement. A great thriller that ranges from the streets of 1970′s Chicago to the highest levels of modern power, with tight dialogue and righteuous violence. One for fans of crime, espionage and mayhem.”
Jay Stringer, author of OLD GOLD
”Immediately gripping and immensely compelling, Dan O’Shea’s debut novel moves from gritty Chicago streets to the corridors of power with the sure-footedness of a master storyteller. PENANCE is many things — a thriller, a spy story, a complex tale of betrayal and atonement — but it is always a heart-pounding ride that leaves you breathless, and yet allows for unforgettable moments of grace. A must-read.”
Hilary Davidson, author of THE DAMAGE DONE, THE NEXT ONE TO FALL and EVIL IN ALL ITS DISGUISES
“A non-stop adrenaline rush, beginning, middle and end; half Stephen Hunter, half AMERICAN TABLOID, Dan O’Shea’s PENANCE is a bonafide blockbuster.”
Owen Laukkannen, author of THE PROFESSIONALS and CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE
”PENANCE is a rare novel, at once staggering in scope and achingly human. A brutal, white-knuckled tale of betrayal and redemption in which the sins of the fathers are laid upon their children tenfold, O’Shea’s astonishing debut delivers pulse-pounding thrills and the beating heart to match. Fans of Le Carre and Lehane had best take note.”
Chris F. Holm, author of DEAD HARVEST and THE WRONG GOODBYE.
”PENANCE is a rich, gritty, terrific novel. O’Shea can throw a punch and turn a phrase with the very best of them. Even better, he knows the human heart inside out.”
Lou Berney, author of GUTSHOT STRAIGHT and WHIPLASH RIVER
”Wonder how Harry Bosch would read walking the streets of Michael Mann’s Chicago? Look no further than Detective John Lynch. Smart, sophisticated and as serious as a .45 in full battery, PENANCE makes the bulk of cliche-riddled crime fiction sound flat-footed by comparison.”
Peter Farris, author of Last Call for the Living
[...] of corruption, but with a national, sometimes even international, flavor. You can learn more at the Penance page on my blog, or at my author or book page over at Exhibit [...]
[...] I’ve got another story out there that offers some background into my novel and its characters – Wonderful Country for Shotgun Honey. And there are more to stories to come. You can keep up with all of them at the Penance page on my blog. [...]
[...] PENANCE characters via short stories on the net, in the run up to publication. Keep an eye on his PENANCE page for further details, as well as the Exhibit A site for more stories and news. To date, there [...]
[...] with a character, for me. You shared several stories from PENANCE’s tough Chicago world (you can read them here). But what’s next in store for John Lynch? [...]