About this item
Having been abandoned on the steps of an orphanage as an infant, lovable car thief and Dublin charmer Mahony assumed all his life that his mother had simply given him up. But when he receives an anonymous note suggesting that foul play may have led to his mothers disappearance, he sees only one option: to return to the rural Irish village where he was born and find out what really happened 26 years ago. From the moment he sets foot in Mulderrig, Mahonys presence turns the village upside down. His uncannily familiar face and outsider ways cause a stir among the locals, who receive him with a mixture of excitement (the women) , curiosity (the men) , and suspicion (the pious) . Determined to uncover the truth about what happened to his mother, Mahony solicits the help of brash anarchist and retired theater actress Mrs. Cauley. This improbable duo concocts an ingenious plan to get the town talking about the day Mahonys mother disappeared and are aided and abetted by a cast of eccentric characters, both living and dead. Himself is a simmering mixture - a blend of the natural everyday and the supernatural, folklore and mystery, and a healthy dose of quintessentially Irish humor. The result is a darkly comic crime story in the tradition of a classic Irish trickster tale, complete with a twisting and turning plot, a small town rife with secrets, and an infectious love of language and storytelling that is a hallmark of the finest Irish writers.
About the Author
I was brought up in London as part of a large family from County Mayo and started writing in the cupboard under the stairs. Being a shy child among great storytellers it seemed like a good plan to share my stories by writing them down. I haven't stopped since. I'm currently Writer in Residence at Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College where I returned to education as an adult learner.My latest book is a Victorian detective mystery called Things in Jars (Canongate, U.K. out now. Atria, U.S. out Feb 2020) . I'm busy working on Novel Four now and also developing original TV projects - watch this space!I love to hear from readers, so do get in touch viajesskidd.comTwitter @JessKiddHerself HimselfA BBC Radio 2 Book Club ChoiceShortlisted for the Irish Book Awards 2016Shortlisted for the Authors' Club Best First Novel Award 2017Longlisted for the John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger 2017The HoarderA BBC Radio 2 Book Club ChoiceShortlisted Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year 2019'Dirty Little Fishes'Costa Short Story Award 2016
