Harrowing and Intense

I have read two other books by Louise O'Neill and so I generally know what I'm getting into when I pick one up and begin reading. This, like the others I've read, was not an easy read, but it is compelling and thought-provoking. 

This book revolves around the murder of one of the Crowley girls while at a party on the Kinsella estate. The Kinsellas are a wealthy family on a small close-knit island called Inisrun, where everyone knows everyone. They seem to have it all, yet they are not liked by others on the island, in part because the locals believe Henry was responsible for the murder but has never been charged. Two documentary film-makers have arrived on the island to make a film about the death of the girl with the view that they may find out additional evidence that didn't come to light at the time. 

There is a real sense of claustrophobia, not just from the fact of island life, but also due to the relationship between  Keelin and her husband Henry Kinsella which is controlling and stifling. Keelin was married before to a physically abusive man and left with her son Alex to escape the violence. She remarries Henry and despite all he is able to give her in terms of wealth and lifestyle, he is abusive in a different way, using psychological methods to control her. Louise O'Neill shines the spotlight once again on these types of relationships which makes it often an uncomfortable read. 

The murderer is revealed at the end, but this book is so much more than a crime novel. 

Thank you to Louise O'Neill, Quercus Books and NetGalley for letting me have an early copy. Publication date is 3rd September 2020.