No one living could recall a time when it had ever looked any different. Time didn't pass in Dundeen; it seeped away.
The remote Irish village of Duneen has known little drama; and yet its inhabitants are troubled.
Sergeant PJ Collins hasn't always been this overweight; mother of- two Brid Riordan hasn't always been an alcoholic; and elegant Evelyn Ross hasn't always felt that her life was a total waste.
So when human remains are discovered on an old farm,suspected to be that of Tommy Burke - a former love of both Brid and Evelyn - the village's dark past begins to unravel.
As the frustrated PJ struggles to solve a genuine case for the first time in his life,he unearths a community's worth of anger and resentments,secrets and regret.
Darkly comic,touching and at times profoundly sad. Graham Norton employs his acerbic wit to breathe life into a host of loveable characters,and explore - with searing honesty - the complexities and contradictions that make us human. A masterful debut,Holdingis an intelligently crafted story of love,secrets and loss.
Publisher: Hodder & StoughtonISBN: 9781444791983Number of pages: 320Weight: 224 gDimensions: 205 x 156 x 21 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'Poised and perceptive.'- Louis Wise,The Sunday Times
'Deeply accomplished,with brilliantly observed,entertaining characters and an atmospheric setting.'- Good Housekeeping
'Heartwarming and observant.'- Stylist
'Strenuously charming...surprisingly tender.'- Clare Allfree,Metro
'An undercurrent of black comedy accompanies the ripples that ensue - but with a pathos that makes this deftly plotted story as moving as it is compelling.'- The Sunday Mirror
'...charming...thoughtfully done...highly enjoyable.'- The Guardian
'Full of emotion and tense moments. You will be gripped from the first page.'- Woman's Own
'A considerable achievement ...one of the more authentic debuts I've read in recent years ...in such an understated manner,eschewing linguistic eccentricity ...in favour of genuine characters and tender feeling...this is a fine novel.'- John Boyne,Irish Times
'It's funny and wonderfully perceptive.'- Wendy Holden
'It is beautiful and yet devastatingly sad.'- The Daily Express
Graham Norton
Graham Norton an Irish broadcaster,presenter,comedian and author,best known for his multi-BAFTA-winning The Graham Norton Show and his bestselling novel A Keeper.
Visit the Graham Norton author page
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