Synopsis
A small town's gossip turns deadly, unravelling a web of secrets in 1961 Ballantur.
Nate Wheatley runs a mobile grocery shop for the countryside around the town of Ballantur. He isn’t a mere purveyor of goods – his service is the lifeblood of communication between the isolated farms and villages. Nate loves to gossip and relishes his role as the town’s unofficial newsman, weaving tales from one doorstep to the next.
One night Nate’s wife, Babs, is publically caught in a passionate embrace with the local postman, Sammy Joyce. This is also witnessed by an enraged Nate, who assaults and threatens Sammy.
As morning light breaks over Ballantur, Sammy’s lifeless body is discovered by the roadside – the victim of a seemingly random hit and run – or is it? Suddenly, Nate becomes the story he would love to tell about anyone else.
As the locals struggle with grief and suspicion, the town is torn asunder by harmful whispers that are making too much noise.
This makes life for the local gardaí impossible, especially for new bangharda, Caitlín Kennedy, as she and her colleagues strive to get to the truth.
Details
- Pages: 450
- Format: Paperback
- Author: Marie O'Connor
- Publisher: Poolbeg Press
- Publication date: 5 February 2024
- Category: Contemporary fiction
- Size: 15.1 x 22.9 x 2.6cm