Graham's writing is effortless; his Irish roots are very much evident and he uses that to his advantage. 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? The story is tight, the writing is sensitive, the plot is gripping - this book has all the elements of a great read. 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.

It's a bit of a roller coaster of discoveries and reveals, balancing between darkness and kindness all the way. Graham Norton’s 2016 debut novel, Holding, surprised critics with its empathy, delicate characterisation and strong plotting.

He then secured a prime time slot on Channel 4 with his chat shows So Graham Norton and V Graham Norton .

I've read a previous book by Graham Norton, - 'Holding' - and enjoyed it, which is why I wanted to pick this one up too. Urged on by a friend she answers a lonely hearts ad in the Farmers’ Journal and meets Edward Foley, a taciturn farmer who lives in an isolated cottage with his domineering mother. It is also such a warm and moving book - i can only recommend the author and will immediately be looking for other books that he published.

This is a fabulous little book and I read it from start to finish in one sitting wanting to know more. Graham Norton’s follow-up to his hugely impressive debut novel, Holding, is a bleak family drama set across a parallel narrative forty years apart. And when Elizabeth finds she has been left a seaside cottage in the will, the quest into the truth of her origins begins. I enjoyed both eras of this story, journeying along with Elizabeth while she balanced uncovering her family history with a family drama in the present.