Situational irony - Tony Curran gets killed
Tony Curran decides that he will kill Ian Ventham for cutting him out of the business. As he is preparing for the deed, he is the one who suddenly gets killed. This murder at the very start is unexpected, and it creates situational irony.
Situational irony - Father Mackie
The prime suspect for the murder of Ian Ventham, Father Mackie, is revealed to be not a priest at all. Elizabeth tries to corner him into confessing to the murder, which only leads to an unexpected revelation about his tragic life. He fell in love with a nun, who ended up committing suicide, and he had to leave town. This is an unexpected twist to the story of Matthew Mackie, who was set up as a suspicious character from the start, and it creates situational irony.
Situational irony - Penny’s story
Penny is present from the very beginning of the novel as a moral compass to the rest of the crew. The twist at the very end reveals that Penny actually committed a murder when she was young, and the body was hidden in the cemetery Ian Ventham tried to dig up. Consequently, Penny’s husband is the one who murdered Ventham to protect his wife’s secret. The twist is unexpected and creates situational irony.
Situational irony - Bogdan
Bogdan is an unassuming character throughout. He is a worker from Poland who seemingly only looks for jobs and stays out of trouble. The twist at the end shows a different side to Bogdan, as he is the one who murdered Tony Curran and others involved in a crime from a very long time ago. This crime included a murder of an innocent boy and a respected taxi driver, who was a friend of Bogdan’s. This twist is unexpected and creates situational irony at the end of the novel.
