Remembering Ken Bruen

By Peter Handel
I never met Ken Bruen in person, but to a small extent, I feel like I knew him. Our paths crossed initially in the early aughts—it may have been when I was the San Francisco Chronicle’s crime-fiction columnist, or later during my stint with the now long-defunct Pages Magazine. At around that same time, we actually chatted on the phone and even made a tentative plan to meet up when he was visiting Northern California from Ireland.

Alas, that encounter never occurred, and years passed, me reading the occasional Jack Taylor blend of brutality and humanity, and Ken—writing, writing, writing.

In March of last year, I had the genuine pleasure of interviewing Ken about his then-latest Jack Taylor detective novel, Galway Confidential, for a profile that appeared in CrimeReads. I sent him a preliminary list of questions that he quickly answered. That led to additional queries, and soon it felt like some kind of Galway floodgate had opened: one of the most enjoyable back-and-forths with an author that I could have ever imagined began. Before long, Ken was sending me little stories, tidbits, and hilarious remarks—unsolicited.

Most of them had to go in the piece—they were too fucking good to leave out!

Over the past year, for various reasons, I remained in touch with Ken via e-mail. If I had a question, he answered it. When I asked the boss of this blog if I could review Galway’s Edge, his new, 18th Taylor book, I got the green light. I didn’t reach out to Ken right away, but as I finished my review, I remembered he had said last year that one more Jack Taylor novel was coming, that it was written already and was to be called Galway’s DNA.

Hmm. I shot an e-mail off to Ken and asked, Is this a different book than what was to be called Galway’s DNA? And is this in fact the final Jack Taylor story? His reply, from March 14, was typical Ken Bruen (and like all of his e-mail correspondence, it was “written” in his inimitable style). It read, in part (and concludes the review):

Peter,

lovely to hear from you.

Galway DNA became Galway’s Edge as I wrote the book and it mutated it’s own self.
For now, there is no jack taylor on the horizon but I’m open to Jack talking to me.
warmest wishes.
Ken

I wrote back and asked, Can I use this?

use anything Peter that helps

Warmest wishes
Ken

After the review ran on March 26, I naturally sent it to Ken, and frankly, could not wait to hear from him. But silence ensued, and I wondered why. I continued to check my e-mail all last weekend … until I saw the news of his (I assume) unexpected death in a Galway hospital on Saturday the 29th.

The mystery/crime fiction world has shrunk. Significantly. Dramatically. I cherish my interactions with Ken. We weren’t friends, but we did indeed have a wonderful relationship. I’m closing here with part of one of the notes I got from Ken after the CrimeReads profile ran. (He was pleased, and gracious, as always.) To me, it truly typifies what kind of a person Ken Bruen was. It reads, in part:

Do please stay in touch and if there is anything I can do
for you, tis done.
Warmest thanks
Ken

That was Ken.