Traumatised souls. Murderous housewives. Wise-cracking hitmen. Bloody revenge. It’s all there in this excellent collection of short stories from Irish crime writers.

Des Keogh, 81, was born in Birr, Co Offaly, and worked for Guinness for three years before becoming a fulltime actor and presenter in 1963. He’s currently touring in the The Quiet Land by Malachy McKenna, which will run at Cork Arts Theatre from Tuesday, April 11 to Thursday 13.

When a friends gets into trouble it’s time for Jack Reacher to get involved.

PSYCHOLOGIST Joe O’Loughlin must find a killer before they strike again. But with few clues and public pressure mounting, there is little going right for him and the police officers he is trying to help.

Remember Jack Reacher - that random Tom Cruise starring action film which dropped in late 2012 and was pretty much instantly forgotten?

The news that Jack Grealish is to be a character’s name in the next outing by thriller writer and Aston Villa fan Lee Child added an appropriately dramatic twist to the week’s spiciest narrative.

In the real world Steve Cavanagh is a Belfast lawyer who explained to Declan Burke how an exceptional advocate can convince a jury black is actually white.

AS a lawyer, Steve has conducted several high profile cases. In 2010, representing a factory worker, he won the largest award for damages in race discrimination in Northern Ireland’s legal history.

Ireland’s ascent to the top of the crime-fiction tree will reach new heights this week, when an anthology featuring the country’s finest thriller-writers is launched in New York on November 7, writes author and journalist Garbhan Downey.

Lee Child talks about the new adventures of his 70m-selling hero, writes Richard Fitzpatrick

Claire McGowan wanted to be a writer from the age of nine but never imagined she could do it for a living and so filled her days teaching and travelling. She tells Caroline O’Doherty about how she realised her dream.

Bestselling author Alex Barclay is sharing the secrets of her success with aspiring authors, writes Marjorie Brennan.

Then We Take Berlin

In the Morning I’ll Be Gone

Never Go Back

The internationally regarded crime writer has written a wonderful, tale about a magical, medieval kingdom for children. She explains why to Sue Leonard

WE stand between two significant television moments. One happened last week, the other is due later today.

The US premiere of ‘Jack Reacher’, an explosive action thriller based on the book ‘One Shot’ by Lee Child, was postponed in the wake of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The decision was understandable.

Jack Reacher (12A) opens with the murder of five civilians by Iraq War sniper veteran James Barr (Joseph Sikora).

Tom Cruise has wanted to be a movie star since he was four years old.

Tom Cruise "loves" living in hotels - after booking into a suite for four months

Tom Cruise said playing heroic loner Jack Reacher was “easy” because it reminded him of his own life.

EL James's bestselling sensation 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' has been named one of the books of the year at a literary awards ceremony.

HarperCollins owner News Corporation is reportedly readying a £1bn (€1.24bn) offer for Penguin in an attempt to scupper plans for a new publishing giant.

MASS MARKETFICTION

John Connolly and Declan Burke convinced great writers to write about their favourite mystery novels. Val Nolan is impressed

Forget Fifty Shades’ sleazy hero Christian Grey, writes John Daly. Jack Reacher is the guy every man wants to be, and every woman wants to be with

MASS MARKETFICTION

As e-reader ownership soars, Hannah Stephenson and Cathy Gordon examine the device’s pros and cons

Agents of Treachery: Spy Stories

The Affair