The Judas Kiss The Judas Kiss is a novel by Irish author David Butler. It is set in Dublin in Ireland. It is structured as a set of six narratives by the main characters in the novel. Background The book is set in post-Celtic Tiger Dublin. Main Characters Bluebottle Bluebottle is a troubled teenager who has run away from a religious institution. He lives on his wits on the streets of Dublin. Malcolm Little Malcolm Little is an ageing predatory sensualist. He takes in Bluebottle, giving him his nickname. Critical Reception In his review of the Judas Kiss in the Sunday Times, Alan Murdoch described Malcolm Little as "among the more outlandishly repulsive creations of recent Irish fiction."