Engaging

This is book nine in the Irish Doctor series. It is best to read this series in order as Taylor builds the next story on the past one. In this book Taylor flashes back and forth between Northern Ireland in the 1960s and the Wartime travails of 1939 to 1945 at home and at sea. Dr. Fingal O’Reilly served in the Royal Navy during World War Two. The author tells of O’Reilly’s wartime courtship of his wife, Deirdre. Deirdre was a nurse midwife in training when they met.

I found the part of the story about O’Reilly’s service on HMS Warspite most interesting. Taylor tells of HMS Warspite’s action in the Battle of West Fjord in Norway and later off Italy. Then he covers HMS Warspite’s in time in Alexandria, Egypt. O’Reilly was a medical officer on the Warspite.

The book opens in the 1960s with housekeeper Kinky’s wedding. Young Barry Laverty is back in Ballybucklebo and medical student Jenny is helping out for the summer.

The book is well written and researched. I really enjoyed the various Irish accents, the humor and the pithy insights. In this book, aboard HMS Warspite there is a wide variety of accents from Scottish to Cockney. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

The book is thirteen and a half hours long. John Keating does a fantastic job narrating the book. This series works best as an audiobook because Keating does such a great job with all the various accents and the pronunciations of the Irish words. Keating has narrated the series from the beginning. Keating is an Irish actor and award-winning audiobook narrator.

6 people found this helpful

Thoroughly enjoyable

It filled in the war years of Dr Fingal and his coming back married to Kitty.
A disappointing note is that we should have been advised that it should come after Fingal O'Reilly Irish Doctor. Unfortunately I listened to the book and wish I'd realised it was out of sequence in the series.

5 people found this helpful

Great deeper into life on a warship WWII

A great adventure with Fingal during his first year in battles as some in the British Royal Navy from the historically famous HMS WarSpite. This artfully crafted to progressively teach basic naval terms and tactics in the north Seas throughout the first half then into a major all out naval battle in the Mediterranean. Also, as in other books, the "current" year in the 1960s in the village of ballybucklebo is woven throughout the book. One gets a sense of just pre war and start of war as it was impacting lives in both northern Oreland and the Republic of Ireland during the flashbacks. Simultaneously a small foreshadowing of the outbreak of fighting to come later in the century to the wee North.

3 people found this helpful

Always outstanding

Being Of Irish dissent as well as being in medicine I truly enjoy Dr.Patrick Taylor's gifted writings.mr. Keating's narration it's phenomenal bring so much more pleasure to these books.I am listen to all of them and I am always anticipating the next one. I can say without a doubt that Dr. Patrick Taylor it's my favorite writer. What a winning combination we have between his gifts and Mr. Keating's gifts thank you so very much.

2 people found this helpful

Another great book by Patrick Taylor

I have already read all of Mr. Taylor’s books, and have been rereading them again. I have arranged Mr. Taylor’s books by date of publication. Not counting the cookbook, I believe there are 15 books. I am just restarting book #10. I don’t know what I will do when I read all his books for the second time? Are there any more books being added to the series?
Hugs and kisses to Patrick Taylor😘🙏

1 person found this helpful

Love these stories

Love everything about the Country Doctor series and I could listen to John Keating read just about anything,

Great Historical Fiction

Road trips fly by when listening to Patrick Taylor books- always great stories and characters , but the narration by John Keating is world class.
What a talent! He makes all the characters come alive , each with individual nuances . Wonderful !

Great Series!!!

This is such a delightful Series! The Characters are so fun and the story line awesome. The Narration is awesome!

Patrick Taylor Does it Again

Using the interaction of personal history and “present,” the movement of these parallel stories injects new depth into Taylor’s characters. I found the story a delightful and insightful escape from the pressures of daily life.

Very entertaining read!

I love the detailed descriptions that Patrick Taylor writes with a poetic flow, I can just imagine being there. The character development is very well done. I find this series to be truly entertaining- a good story, interesting characters, and a fair amount of historical information. The stories leave me longing for the next adventure.