Comparisons to Elmore Leonard and fulsome praise from the likes of The Irish Times and the Irish Independent have attached themselves to the young Irish author since The Big O's release. And some big names have stepped up to the plate too, like Jason Starr, who said: “Declan Burke's The Big O has everything you want in a crime novel: machinegun dialogue, unforgettable characters, and a wicked plot. Think George V. Higgins in Ireland on speed.”