What's been happening!
My first talk on Isabel de Clare, the subject of my latest novel, took place on the 13th August as part of the Norman weekend in Fethard...
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Stylish Historical Thrillers
I just read...
Secret Lies Hurt by Tricia Holbrook
An emotional roller-coaster of a read.
Devastated when her lover, also her boss, refuses to leave his wife, Wendy heads off to Spain to start a new life. There she meets Alejandro, a kindred spirit. However, Wendy’s newfound happiness is brought to an unexpected climax when she receives news that her mother is dying. On returning home she learns that her father was not who he thought he was. After reading her mother’s letters she learns of her real father Nick Jones is alive and well and living in the West of Ireland. Alejandro returns and finds Wendy being persecuted by the unwanted attentions of her old boss. Caught in a whirlwind of lies and deceit, Wendy does not know who to trust anymore.
This is a well written and enjoyable read, with well-drawn believable characters and shows how lies can cause even the most established lives to unravel in unexpected ways.
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Annie of Ainsworth's Mill by Katie Hutton.
Authentic historical family drama in the hands of a skilful storyteller.
This engaging historical novel set at the end of the 19th Century tells the story a young Northern Irish man and woman Robert McClure and Annie Maguire who fall in love despite the odds. He is a presbyterian, illegitimate, and she is Catholic. As a young man, Robert had been fostered by a Catholic woman who taught him tailoring skills and he dreams, one day, of setting up his own business. However, Robert and Annie are both forced by circumstances to leave Ireland. She ends up working in Ainsworth’s Mill in Cumbria, England, and he in the local coal mines. Shortly after arriving there, Robert is invited to join an Orange Lodge, and on the 12th July celebrations he rescues Annie from a group of bullying Orangemen. The couple’s tender relationship unfolds against bitter sectarian hatred within the two communities. On one level this is a highly enjoyable and fast-paced tale of the couple’s evolving romance, plagued with setbacks and dramas -- but on another it is also the story of a troubled community beset by bigotry. As a piece of social history this was an extremely satisfying read which explained the different religious perspectives and argued fairly from both sides. Beautifully written and researched, with memorable and well-rounded characters, this was a charming story, shedding new light on troubled times, with a highly satisfying ending.
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Mosaic by Carolann Copland This compelling saga set against the backdrop of Franco’s reign of terror, in an otherwise tranquil seaside...
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A Suggestion of Scandal by Catherine Kullmann Elegantly written and entertaining story. This is a delightful historical novel, a regency...
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Orpen at War by Patricia O’Reilly This illustrated, fictionalised biography of William Orpen, the leading society portraitist of his day...
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The Piano player By Maybelle Wallis This stand-alone sequel to Wallis’s first novel Heart of Cruelty is a similarly poignant and...
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
Small Things Like These, an aptly named, delightful cameo of literary fiction, tells the story of one man’s conflict - whether to stand...
The Woman in the Zoom by Derville Murphy
‘You say she was behaving strangely over the last few months.’ ‘Yeah, she seemed edgier.’ ‘Edgier?’ ‘Anxious. I suppose. Couldn’t relax....
Beautiful world, where are you by Sally Rooney
Life, beautifully observed and written, in a story that is insightful and gripping. Rooney is at her best looking at life and its meaning...
The Midnight Library By Matt Haig
Clever, warm and uplifting and a delightful read. Genre/description: Fantasy, up-lit. The idea that you could choose the best version of...
Mr Wilder & Me
A delightful read. On one level this is the tender and nuanced coming-of-age story of Calista, a shy and innocent Greek teenager, who...
Lives without end by Anne M. McLoughlin
Part two of a three-part family drama (although reads as a standalone novel) Lives Without End is set between Ireland and America...
White City by Kevin Power.
Ballsy, gritty, in places laugh-out-loud funny, this is a social satire with memorable characters and a gripping plot. Set in Dublin and...
My Mother’s Children by Annette Sills.
When Carmel Doherty learns that her deceased Irish mother had a baby in the notorious Tuam mother and baby home in County Mayo - she also...
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell is one of the best books I have read in the past year. To me the story spoke, not of grief, but of loss – and...
Acts of Desperation by Megan Nolan
This debut novel by an Irish author is a rare and raw insight into the mind of a young woman who sees love as her salvation. She longs to...
Blog launch- "Just to let you know...!"
Today, I am launching my blog post 'just to let you know' my latest news, and to share reviews and articles. I hope you enjoy reading my...
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