Staff Picks Blog
Patrick Taylor’s new book focuses on Kinky Kinkaid, who was once known as Maureen O’Hanlon, and her story about growing up in the 1920s in County Cork, Ireland. Readers who have followed the series know that Kinky Kinkaid is the quirky housekeeper for Drs. Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly and Barry Laverty who has the gift of foretelling the future and runs a tight house. In her early years, Kinky was a feisty honors student who was determined to strike a balance in her life between a career and love. Unfortunately in the 1920s in Ireland, this was not a generally accepted aspiration that a young girl should have.
An Irish Country Girl is a nice addition to the Ballybucklebo series that focuses on the lives of two country doctors in Northern Ireland and the community they live in. Patrick Taylor’s books are a combination of James Herriott and Marcus Welby, MD with good character development and a strong sense of place. The book starts with Kinky telling local children a story from her teenage years. Initially I thought the story was a bit long; however, it sets the stage for the rest of the story and understanding Kinky’s character. Overall this is a nice book for a cold, icy Iowa day. ~~Enjoy~~
