A fierce and gripping novel about families, secrets and the impossibility of ever coming home



Two women.
Two stories.
One hundred years of secrets.

A sweeping novel of love, loss, family and history for readers who love Maggie O'Farrell, John Boyne and Donal Ryan

'Thrilling, thoughtful, passionate' Daily Mail
'Beautiful, unsentimental, intelligent' The Times

1919

Ireland is about to be torn apart by the War of Independence.

Hannah O'Donovan helps her father hide rebel soldiers in the attic, putting her family in great danger from the British soldiers who roam the countryside. An immediate connection between Hannah and O'Riada, the leader of this hidden band of rebels, will change her life and that of her family forever . . .

2019

Ellen is at a crossroads: her marriage is in trouble, her career is over and she's grieving the loss of a baby. After years in London, she decides to come home to Ireland to face the things she's tried so hard to escape. Reaching into the past, she feels a connection to her ancestor, the mysterious Hannah O'Donovan. But why won't anyone in her family talk about Hannah? And how can this journey help Ellen put her life back together?

'A gripping novel about two women, their desires and frustrations, about the wars they find themselves fighting . . . a thrill to discover' Belinda McKeon

'A fierce, beautifully written story' Louise O'Neill