Closure

Tony Byrne left his Belfast home to go to work and vanished for no apparent reason. His disappearance gave rise to all sorts of rumours. Some claiming he was an IRA informer who was now residing under the latest stretch of motorway. Others had him running off for an illicit romance with someone he'd met on one of his frequent trips abroad. But the most plausible, and probably the most acceptable, to those who knew him, had him down as the unfortunate victim of a sectarian killing. So who did take Tony Byrne? Was it the IRA? Was it the UDA? Or did Tony Byrne have his own, more personal reasons for not wanting to be found? After a three year investigation the police have unofficially accepted that he was the victim of a sectarian killing, and have all but parked the case. But the missing man's wife refuses to give up and hires a private investigator to continue the search. The man she hires is Jack Brennan, a former SAS man turned private investigator. Jack's investigation brings him into conflict with a local IRA activist when he unearths a link between him and the missing man. A link that the police had failed to uncover. With his own life under threat, Jack needs someone to negotiate a truce with the local paramilitaries. But in a troubled hot-house like Belfast, who can he turn to? In the end he has little choice, although his chosen go-between comes from a very unlikely source. Kirkus: Magee crafts a riveting tale that will keep readers guessing until the end. A slow boil that expertly paints a private detective and the war-torn land where he resides.

About the Author :
The author joined the British army as a Junior Leader at sixteen, two years after leaving school. He went on to serve in The 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars until they amalgamated in 1958. In March 1960 he returned to the UK from the Persian Gulf to the freezing conditions in the Brecon Beacons' to successfully complete his selection course and become a founding member of the Special Reconnaissance Squadron (SRS). Later, when this specialist unit was disbanded, he re-joined his parent regiment on active service in Malaya, Brunei, Sarawak and Borneo. Having served in most overseas theatres, he returned to his native Ulster at the start of the troubles in 1969 with the rank of Sergeant, by 1974 he was still serving in Northern Ireland as a Warrant Officer. Between the onset of the troubles, and eventually leaving the service in 1985, he served a total of sixteen years in the province. During this period a considerable amount of his time was spent on cross-community work -- organising and running outward bound and adventure training courses for the youth from both sides of the religious divide. The author served a total of thirty one years in the army. With his service completed he set up home in Northern Ireland and took a job as a sales manager with an office equipment company in Belfast, and later, with the help of a partner, took ownership of the company. He retired in 2001 and left Belfast to take up residence on the North Antrim coast where he continues to live with his wife Jacqueline.