Book picks similar to
Liberty Terrace by Madeleine D'Arcy
short-stories
ireland
contemporary-fiction
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After the Wake
Brendan Behan - 1981
When he died, at the age of 41, he was arguably the most celebrated Irish writer of the twentieth century.After the Wake is a collection of seven prose works and a series of articles. It includes all that exists of an unfinished novel, 'The Catacombs', and pieces together items whose comic and fanciful accounts evoke Flann O'Brien. Also featured are works of acknowledged excellence, 'The Confirmation Suit' and 'A Woman of No Standing'. This writing bears all the hallmarks of the author's talent - an ability to bring characters to life quickly and unforgettably, a sharp ear for dialogue and dialect, and a natural vocation for story-telling.This diverse collection is a delightful and entertaining windfall from one of Ireland's most colourful writers. An essential complement to Behan's master works.
The Reluctant Millionaire
Joseph Birchall - 2017
His job bores him and his love is unrequited. Very few people pay attention to Michael, and that suits him fine. Then one day, he finds himself the winner of the largest lottery in the history of Europe – €190,000,000! Under the weight of his new found wealth and fame, Michael’s life spirals out of control until he is forced to make a decision. A decision that will capture the imagination of the entire world…
The Gingerbread House
Kate Beaufoy - 2017
But beware! For in the fairy-tale, that s where the witch lives...Away from the city, with no distractions, the Gingerbread House seems like the perfect place to start work on a novel. That's what former advertising copywriter Tess thinks when she goes there to live with Eleanor, her aged mother-in-law. But Eleanor is suffering from dementia, and caring for her proves tougher than Tess could ever have imagined: feeling increasingly isolated, her only comfort is wine o'clock and weekend visits from her husband. Meanwhile her teenage daughter Katia is helpless to intercede; in the end she can only watch as things fall apart and a tragedy even closer to home surfaces.The Gingerbread House is a deeply moving novel: a compassionate and occasionally wickedly funny tale of a family's agonising struggle with dementia.
Irish Encounter
Hope Toler Dougherty - 2015
Perhaps she’ll find adventure during a visit to Galway. Her idea of excitement consists of exploring Ireland for yarn to feature in her shop back home, but the adventure awaiting her includes an edgy stranger who disrupts her tea time, challenges her belief system, and stirs up feelings she thought she’d buried with her husband. After years of ignoring God, nursing anger, and stifling his grief, Payne Anderson isn’t ready for the feelings a chance encounter with an enchanting stranger evokes. Though avoiding women and small talk has been his pattern, something about Ellen makes him want to seek her—and God again.Can Ellen accept a new life different than the one she planned? Can Payne release his guilt and accept the peace he’s longed for? Can they surrender their past pain and embrace healing together, or will fear and doubt ruin their second chance at happiness?
Salford Murders
Bud Craig - 2016
Three books in one!With the atmosphere of urban decline and inner-city violence, these three murder mysteries are set in the metropolitan area of Salford, Manchester - one of the most deprived areas in England.Ex-rugby player turned social worker Gus Keane is a man who, faced with the disinterest of the Police, becomes a private investigator in order to find out who murdered his boss. Not surprisingly, law enforcement don't want someone meddling in the case, but increasingly they turn to Keane's local knowledge to bring the culprit to justice.Three related detective mysteries in one bumper volume on KindleAs reviewers have remarked, these books form a trilogy but each can be read on its own, without having read the others. This is partly because Gus Keane is an immediately likeable detective: he has his faults, and is always getting into trouble; but he has a way of getting the truth out of people and, hardened to the rough world of Salford, his local knowledge is key.THE THREE BOOKS IN THE TRILOGYTACKLING DEATH: A pacey pulp Private Eye thriller set in a northern English townEx-rugby football player turned social worker Gus Keane is getting ready for retirement when his boss gets murdered. Finding himself under suspicion, Keane turns private detective to find out the truth. But when he closes in on the killer will Keane come out on top or fall victim to the murderer’s desperate moves?DEAD CERTAINTY: Social worker turned Private Eye Gus Keane returns in this gripping murder mysteryIf something happens in Salford, Manchester, it is generally bad news and when two dead bodies turn up within a few hours of one another, it is no exception. With the local force stretched to the limits and firing blanks ex-rugby player Gus Keane is asked to step in to help find the culprits. What follows is an ever thickening plot as Keane gradually begins to unravel a mystery from Salford's shady past.FALLING FOUL: Private investigator Gus Keane is back with a difficult new case to solveWith his ex-wife appearing back on the scene and relations with his girlfriend Marti troubled, the murder of one of Gus Keane's colleagues comes at a really bad time. Yet when his friend Jimmy is accused of the murder, he really must step up to the plate. With his knowledge of the local area, and a healthy suspicion that nothing anyone says is true, private investigator Keane must find the killer before Jimmy is convicted.These books are also available as individual titles on Kindle and are FREE on Kindle Unlimited.
Sunsets Never Wait
Jonathan Cullen - 2020
The isolation is all but unbearable until a mysterious tenant moves into the house at the bottom of the hill. James Dunford has come from America but he won’t say why. He spends his days fixing up the old cottage and walking the beach with a stray dog that showed up on his doorstep.As the weeks pass, Tara tries to get to know James, but he resists her at every turn. And it's not until a local villager recognizes him from the news that she realizes his visit might be about more than just a vacation. On the night of a big storm, Tara finally confronts James about why he is there. But how can she expect him to be honest when she, too, is hiding her own dark secret?Set against the backdrop of the Hunger Strikes in Northern Ireland, Sunsets Never Wait is a story about love, loss, and the risks of hanging on to the past. No matter how much the world has let you down, there’s always a possibility for second chances.
Killing Kind
Gregg Dunnett - 2018
A detective has the chance to solve cases that have baffled her colleagues for decades. But only if she can work out who he is, before he gets to her. Because - in a story where not everything is what it seems - not even murder is black and white. Killing Kind is a tense novella with a twist that will stay with you. From UK and US bestselling author Gregg Dunnett.
True Believers
Joseph O'Connor - 1991
Here are sad-hearted priests, old friends, young lovers, rockers and rebels, husbands and runaway wives, punks and poets. They all are clinging desperately to some kind of faith in a mutable and dangerous world.
Ace Jones: Mad Fat Adventures in Therapy
Stephanie McAfee - 2013
What’s worse is that every time she leaves the house, she winds up in some kind of altercation. She can’t help but wonder if she’s an idiot magnet, or if she’s the smart-mouth stirring things up. Hoping for a little peace of mind, Ace gives in to the advice of her best friend and goes to see a therapist. But she quickly discovers that the road to nirvana isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. And as Ace goes from one therapeutic misadventure to another, the plus-sized spitfire becomes more determined than ever to find enlightenment—even if it means bending herself into a pretzel to do it.
Christmas Crisis in Chancey
Kay Dew Shostak - 2018
Whether this is your first trip to Chancey, or you're an old friend - Welcome! This is one meeting you don't want to miss. Christmas is just around the corner and there's a crisis so a meeting has been called. And you never want to miss a meeting in a small town because you just might end up in charge of the Christmas Parade. Memories surface, tempers flare, and new suggestions get shot down because it's never been done that way before. This novella is a perfect way to sip a cup of hot cocoa and take a quick trip to a small Southern town for the holidays.
Yesterday's Friends
Pamela Evans - 1996
The brightest girl in her class, Ruth had planned to attend college but the realisation that she was pregnant forced her to abandon all hopes of a career. Now, five years later, she still lives in Shepherd's Bush with her parents, twin brothers and daughter, Jenny. Conscious of a need to make ends meet, Ruth works as a shop assistant at the local chemist while her mother looks after Jenny. Ruth's best friend Kitty bitterly resents what has happened, but never once does Ruth regret the outcome of that magical night. And the joy that Jenny brings is ample reward for the sacrifices she has made. Ruth meets someone new and tries to put the past behind her, but yesterday's friends have an uncanny way of catching up with her and when her father turns up unexpectedly, Ruth's world is thrown into confusion once again...
A Bid on Forever
Joy Avery - 2019
So manymemories exist for him here, including the one of being crushed by the onlywoman he's ever loved. Three years hasn't diminished his feelings for hisex-best friend and lover, Macie Shaw. And when their paths cross, the fire thatused to burn scorching hot between them reignites. His head says run, but hisheart is far more courageous. ...but she'sdetermined. Years ago, Macie made a horrible decision, causing her tolose the one person in her life who had always been real and true. TrentThatcher. Now he's back, and a winning bid just might give her the chance tomake things right. But can she rid Trent of three years of heartache in oneweek? Especially when he seems to hate her.
Eating Bitter (The Randall Lee Mysteries)
Charles Colyott - 2015
This time there are no suave, wise-cracking good guys, no humorless, drug-addled bad guys. The story I want to tell you is all about how I learned to sleep at night, to close my eyes without seeing cold places and dead eyes… how I dragged whatever was left of me up out of the dark, finally. That’s the story I want to tell, because that’s the story I need to hear. I want to know how it ends..."Returning to normal life after his dark days in the depths of the Jianghu hasn't been easy for Randall Lee. With big changes coming in his future, though, Randall offers to help rehabilitate an injured friend, only to find that the need for healing goes far deeper than he ever expected. Bridging the events of Jianghu and the upcoming Randall Lee Mystery, The Art of War, Eating Bitter is a quiet story of resilience and perseverance, punctuated with Randall's trademark humor and self-deprecation.