A Keeper: The Sunday Times Bestseller
£4.70
‘Atmospheric, creepy and impossible to put down.’ the TIMES
‘A compelling and moving story, expertly told, that will draw you in and keep you in its grip until the last page.’ DAILY EXPRESS
‘Magnificent … his writing is evocative and perfect. His grasp of human loneliness and longing is beautiful and comforting.’ MARIAN KEYES
‘I raved about Holding two years ago … A Keeper is even better. A powerful, very sad story, beautiful writing, two time frames that are perfectly balanced. Outstanding. Will easily be one of my books of 2018.’ JOHN BOYNE
‘A gripping, thoughtful tale about the search for identity, belonging and self-possession.’ OBSERVER
‘Moving and darkly funny.’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
‘Smart, well-written and thoroughly entertaining.’ IRISH INDEPENDENT
‘It’s a sad and lovely book, brimful of tenderness and compassion, where the revelations of the past upturn the perceptions of the present.’ SUNDAY EXPRESS
‘Charming and tender, a complete joy.’ SUNDAY MIRROR
‘Perfectly crafted, a beautiful, gripping account of Irish memory and deceit. A terrific achievement.’ ANDREW O’HAGAN
From the bestselling author of Holding comes a masterly tale of secrets and ill-fated loves set on the coast of Ireland.
Dear Lonely Leinster Lady,
I’m not really sure how to begin . . .
The truth drifts out to sea, riding the waves out of sight. And then the tide turns.
Elizabeth Keane returns to Ireland after her mother’s death, intent only on wrapping up that dismal part of her life. There is nothing here for her; she wonders if there ever was. The house of her childhood is stuffed full of useless things, her mother’s presence already fading. And perhaps, had she not found the small stash of letters, the truth would never have come to light.
40 years earlier, a young woman stumbles from a remote stone house, the night quiet but for the tireless wind that circles her as she hurries further into the darkness away from the cliffs and the sea. She has no sense of where she is going, only that she must keep on.
This compelling new novel confirms Graham Norton’s status as a fresh, literary voice, bringing his clear-eyed understanding of human nature and its darkest flaws.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Coronet (4 Oct. 2018) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| File size | 1126 KB |
| Text-to-Speech | Enabled |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Enabled |
| Word Wise | Enabled |
| Sticky notes | On Kindle Scribe |
| Print length | 321 pages |
by Smartyfartblast
Very well written yarn . I’m not sure if it could be set in any other country but Ireland. The attitudes and interactions are steeped in the predjucises of the culture and yet it is such a human tale that it could be set anywhere. The two treads of the story, current and historical , presented in parallel are an easy read and except for one element the plot is totally acceptable: where are Mary’s relatives? Surely she would have made efforts to find out more about her actual Mother.
by Lizanne Lloyd
After enjoying the TV drama, “holding,” based on Graham Norton’s first book, I was pleased to discover his writing has continued. A Keeper does not have the humour of his first story, but it does give a clear picture of rural Irish life contrasted with the heroine’s present life in New York. Elizabeth Keane’s life is not exciting, but she is happy with her job as a university lecturer bringing up her 17-year-old son, Zach, on her own, after a divorce several years earlier.
Following her mother’s death home in Ireland, Elizabeth travels to Buncarragh where she has inherited her childhood home. Everything starts to go wrong when she discovers rats in the empty house & then her son goes missing somewhere in the States. Meanwhile she is told that she has also inherited another house, by the sea, which had belonged to her father whom she had never known.
We then begin to discover something of the life of Patricia, Elizabeth’s mother, partly through a bunch of letters but also as a witness to incidents in Patricia’s life. It is not a happy story but explains why she was such a possessive mother. Everything that happens to Elizabeth deepens her understanding of motherhood even though her life is turned upside down.
The writer’s depiction of small-town life and human folly shows depth of understanding enriching the plot. Loneliness features in the lives of several of the characters but Elizabeth’s life is more positive at the end of the book. A worthwhile read with a mystery to be solved.
by rhoda g salter
What a surprise and a lovely one at that. Who’d have thought graham Norton could right a half decent book, full of twists and turns and from a female perspective. Ok , so the plot wasn’t one of the greatest and I had figured it out almost from the first chapter, but hats of to you Graham , for keeping me wanting to turn the pages!
by joanne M
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Couldn’t put it down. Grateful for a rainy weekend at o that I could get stuck into it
by Theresa Byrne
I enjoyed reading this book, not heavy going. A nice easy read.
by Annette
Love how Graham Norton writes, this is my first of his books to read and now I want to read all of them. His description of the characters in the story and of the small Irish towns they lived in at the time is spot on. Brings to mind a town in Cork which my husband had connections with. Well done Graham, keep them coming, you are a talented writer.
by Anna
Love listening to Graham Norton reading his novels. They are all very different but you know it is going to be a good plot. This one is a fascinating story, Quite simple in the plot really but woven beautifully by Graham. The two halves of the story, then and now are told and there are surprises throughout. Love the way Graham reads the old woman. You can hear the pursed lips in the voice! Another absorbing book.
by Kenn Coates
I thought this book was beautifully written and my admiration for Graham Norton continues to grow. His descriptions of the Irish landscape is wonderful and his imagination is makes him a great storyteller.