Grainne Murphy: The Ghostlights W2

Can we ever truly escape our past? The Ghostlights is the poignant story of a family of Irish women who are each looking for the real meaning of home. This is a novel about family, obligation, identity and small-town life, written with deftness and sensitivity by the author of Where the Edge Is. When a stranger checks into a family B&B - in a small village in rural Ireland - no one takes too much notice... at least until his body is found in the lake four days later. The identity of the unknown guest raises questions for polar opposite twin sisters Liv and Marianne and their mother Ethel, all of whom feel trapped by the choices they made earlier in life. They each find themselves forced to confront their past, their present and what they really want from their future. The new novel from Gráinne Murphy, whose short fiction has been longlisted for 2021 Sunday Times Audible Short Story Award. 'Gráinne Murphy laces a tale of life's disappointments with a delightfully wry humour, and conjures the inhabitants of Coolaroone with incisive stokes, deft turns of phrase and great warmth' The Times 'Gloriously rich... An exquisite addition to the canon of fine Irish literature about life and death in the aul' sod' Sunday Independent 'A satisfying read... Murphy's understated writing style keeps the pages turning' Irish Times 'Quirky, thoughtful and exquisitely narrated, The Ghostlights is a beautifully observed story of family dynamics and the ripple effects caused by tragedy' WI Magazine 'A subtle, penetrating delight of a novel' Joanna Glen, Shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award 'Funny and moving' Elske Rahill, author of An Unravelling 'Murphy skilfully weaves a very Irish dark humour through this unflinching look at the choices we make and their impact on those around us' Damhnait Monaghan, author of New Girl in Little Cove 'A careful balance of wry humour, exposition of character, and unnerving mystery' Frances Macken, Winner of the Beryl Bainbridge First Time Author Award