J.J. Liddy Quotes

J.J. Liddy, the main character of Kate Thompson’s novel The New Policeman, has a problem: there never seems to be enough time in the day. In fact, there seems to be decidedly less time.

But then J.J. discovers a place where time stands still—at least it used to. Time is leaking from our world into Tir na n’Og, But then J.J. discovers a place where time stands still—at least it used to. Time is leaking from our world into Tir na n’Og, the land of the fairies, and while we have too little of it, they are beginning to have too much.

When J.J.’s mother idly wishes for more time for her birthday, J.J. decides to find her some. But how can he find her time when he barely has enough time of his own to do the basics, like schoolwork—let alone to find out if the local rumors about his grandfather being a murderer are true?

When J.J.’s mother reveals that she wants more time for her birthday, J.J. decides to go and find some. A task, at first, that seems like an impossible undertaking for a fifteen-year-old. That is until a neighbor shows J.J. an unlikely place to look for everyone’s lost time.

The narration shifts throughout the book alternating between J.J. in his search for the county’s lost time and the wanderings of the new policeman in Kinvara, Garda Larry O’Dwyer. Like J.J. (and most of Kinvara it seems), the new policeman has a love for music.

With barely enough hours in the day for school and his music, J.J. has no time left over to contemplate the shocking revelation that his grandfather may have been a murderer. To make matters worse, this time problem seems to affect everyone in Kinvara.

And only J.J. can make the journey to find out what’s causing the leak—but to do so, he’ll have to step out of his own life. And while J.J. quests in Tir na n’Og, the new policemen begins to show up in his hometown.