The Holy City

Patrick McCabe

Feb 2010 · Bolinda · Narrated by Humphrey Bower

About this audiobook

Now entering his 67th year, Chris McCool can confidently call himself a member of the Happy Club. As he looks back on the glory days of his youth, he recalls the swinging 60s of rural Ireland. Chris had it all back then. He had the moves, he had the car and he had Dolly. A woman who danced on the tops of tables and set the pulses of every man in small-town Cullymore racing – a Protestant femme fatale who was glamorous, transgressive and who called him her very own 'Mr Wonderful'. She was, in short, the answer to this bastard son of a Catholic farmer's prayers. Except that there was another Mr Wonderful in town, a certain Marcus Otoyo. Although Chris, of course, was interested in Marcus only because of their shared religious fervour and mutual appreciation of the finer things. That was all. Besides, Mr McCool was always a hopeless romantic – some even described him as excessively so – but is there anything wrong with that?

About the author

Patrick McCabe is an Irish novelist, known for his mostly dark and violent novels set in contemporary, often small-town, Ireland. His books include The Butcher Boy and Breakfast on Pluto, both shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

Humphrey Bower is a gifted and versatile actor. Since obtaining a BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature at Oxford University, he has worked extensively in theatre, television and audiobook narration. Humphrey won the prestigious Audie Award (US) for his performance of The Family Frying Pan by Bryce Courtenay, and was shortlisted for an Audie Award for his performances of Gould's Book of Fish by Richard Flanagan and Brother Fish by Bryce Courtenay. Humphrey's sensitive and intelligent readings are highly regarded and he is well-known for his capacity to perform a variety of accents.