Cracking the Case: Inside the Mind of a Top Garda by Christy Mangan
Synopsis
Christy Mangan knows how hard it is to solve a murder. In his forty-year career, Mangan participated in or led over 100 murder investigations. And he set up the Garda cold case unit to examine some of the state's most troubling unsolved killings.
Now, in Cracking the Case , he takes a deep dive into how investigations are run. Cracking the Case includes the extraordinary story of Charlotte and Linda Mulhall - dubbed 'the Scissor Sisters' - who killed and dismembered their mother's abusive boyfriend, and how Mangan elicited a full confession from Linda. A gripping account of murder in high society - the 1985 death of Fr Niall Molloy - has a striking analysis of why mishandling of the case led to so many conspiracy theories. And Mangan's description of gang warfare in Drogheda, and the 2020 killing of teenager Keane Mulready-Woods, is as tense as a thriller.
It is also a chilling warning of what happens when criminals get their hooks into a community. In his accounts of these and other fascinating cases, Mangan's focus is always on giving the victim's family answers. He also shows a deep understanding of the complex reasons people are drawn into crime or commmit unthinkable acts.
Cracking the Case is a remarkable insight into the mind of a gifted garda working at the highest level. Christy Mangan retired at the rank of chief superintendent in 2022.
Reviews
'A fascinating, deeply personal journey inside of some of the most high-profile and grotesque crimes of the past four decades . . . a rare insight into the darkest recess of human nature' Paul Williams, Irish Independent
'Thrilling and insightful' Ray D'Arcy, RTÉ
'Intriguing . . . a great read . . . it's the story of Ireland in a way' Nicola Tallant
'Important and compassionate' Irish Times
About the Author
Chief Superintendent Christy Mangan joined the Irish police force, An Garda Síochána, upon leaving school in 1980 and over the course of his forty year career, he was involved in more than 100 murder investigations. He twice received the Scott Medal for valour in the performance of his duties. Mangan established the Serious Crime Review Team in 2007, investigating historic cold cases. He retired in 2022. Cracking the Case is his first book.