Product Description

This is the story of Martin McGartland who worked undercover as a British agent inside the Provisional IRA. Captured by the Provos, he escaped and re-settled on the mainland, but later discovered that he had been deliberately sacrificed by MI5. During his years in hiding he was arrested and taken to court many times. Eventually the Crown Prosecution Service, advised by MI5, ordered his trial for attempting to pervert the course of justice. The jury found him not guilty, but the court gave his name and new identity away. McGartland travelled back to Belfast to try and discover why MI5 had attempted to organise his execution.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #77442 in Books
• Published on: 1999-10-21
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
In 1997, Martin McGartland ruffled a few feathers with Fifty Dead Men Walking, a Bravo Two Zero style account of his life as a Special Branch undercover agent working inside the IRA. The book included various operations that McGartland managed to thwart, a few that he didn't, and culminated in his escape from an IRA punishment squad by throwing himself through a second-floor window, but its chief virtue was to expose the hierarchy of the IRA as being driven by petty-minded viciousness and criminality rather than political idealism.

McGartland was no doubt expecting that that was going to pretty much be that as far as books were concerned, and that he could go back to rebuilding a life under an assumed name in northern England. Instead, we have Dead Man Running which, while less sensational and gung-ho than its predecessor, is an altogether darker and more disturbing read. Dead Man Running begins with a phone call from one of McGartland's former Special Branch handlers in Northern Ireland, who tells him that MI5 had actually conspired with the IRA to get McGartland killed and were very annoyed that he had managed to escape. If this has all the hallmarks of a paranoid conspiracy theory, then one can't deny that McGartland is a very convincing conspiracist. He tells of the reluctance of Special Branch to provide adequate protection and how the Northumberland police constantly harassed him-- even though they knew who he was--until he was forced to break his cover in open court, thereby making him an easy target for the IRA death squads, in order to clear his name of criminal charges.

But Dead Man Running is more than one man's search for the truth. It is also a fascinating insight into the murky world of Irish politics. We have all heard the gruesome details of the punishment beatings, but McGartland lifts the lid on the compromises that the establishment is prepared to make to reach a settlement with the terrorists. It is a world where people mean nothing and appearance is all, and it leaves you wondering whether a peace at any price is a peace worth having and whether the Good Friday Agreement is worth the paper it's written on. --John Crace

Customer Reviews

Excellent account of underhand treachery by the Crown
Given the appalling treatment Marin has received it is no wonder the book turned out like it did. The book describes the underhand and frankly disgusting way in which he has been deserted by the security services.

I personally found Dead Man Running frank, open and difficult to put down. Having explored every other opportunity to get justice perhaps this is the only way Martin is able to vent his obvious anger.

It makes you wonder how many of the reviews below are actually written to discredit the author even further. Martin take comfort in the fact that there are still some good people in the world who value the tremendous work you have done.

Disappointing follow up to excellent first effort
Hmmm, maybe I am a bit jaded these days with all the different titles covering aspects of the British/Irish struggle, however, I get the impression that MM wrote this book purely based on the success of his first. OK, so he has been having a bad time of it, but was there really enough basis for a book here? most of it was already said in his first book, and this is reflected in the number of recaps given throughout. I was expecting a really gritty book revealing a bit more about the involvement of MI5 in his kidnap and subsequent persecution , but all I got was speculation and guesswork rather than hard fact. All in all gross exploitation of a subject matter of which he should know better...

An important book for a greater knowledge of the N.Ireland
The story Martin McGartland tells is truly horrowing. With the authorities coming over very badly especially Jack Straw who seemed to Blindly ignore Martins predicament, and the Northumbria Police who faired even worse and if Martin is to be believed acted disgracefully. This book tends to over tell parts of Martins life and his trip back to Northern Ireland isn't what this books about but rather the courage of this man and the upuling way the MI5 and others were keen to do the utmost to make his life a misery or even end it