The Last Summer in Ireland

By: Noelle Harrison

Narrated by: Aoife McMahon

A lost girl. A mysterious house in Ireland. An invitation that changes everything.

Twenty years ago, at the end of a hot long Irish summer, three sisters walk down to the cool lake at their home, Swan Hall. As Maeve and Aisling watch their beautiful younger sister Nuala laughing and splashing, it is hard to hide their envy of her. But later that morning, when Nuala drowns, they are devastated.

Now, as Iris scatters the ashes of her beloved mother Aisling onto the golden leaves of Central Park, she feels very alone. But then hope comes in an invitation across the sea to Ireland from her mother’s sister, Maeve – the sister Aisling left behind and never spoke to again.

Swan Hall is more than Iris could ever have dreamed, sitting on the edge of a lake, full of history. But its dark corridors and staircases are caked in dust, and Iris feels a sense of unease. And then she finds a diary – Nuala’s diary from the summer she disappeared.

As Iris reads Nuala’s slanting script, she uncovers dark secrets and shocking betrayals, and she begins to wonder: was Nuala’s death really an accident? Can Iris find the truth, and will it change everything she knows about her mother... and herself?

A completely compelling and gripping read about the heartbreak and secrets that tore three sisters apart. Fans of Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You will like The Last Summer in Ireland.

Noelle Harrison is an Irish author who's been writing novels and plays for nearly thirty years. Her first novel, Beatrice, was published in August 2004 and was a bestseller in Ireland.

She is also published under the pen name Evie Blake and her Valentina Trilogy hit the Der Spiegel Bestseller List in 2013. Her aim is to tell women's stories from the past and present and to give voice to those who are rarely heard.

©2022 SAGA Egmont (P)2022 SAGA Egmont

A few holes

The entry dates did not always match with the timeline of the story. There were inconsistencies within characters, particularly Iris. Either that or she was just stupid. However, I am good at rearranging the story in my mind, so it did entertain me. I do like Aoife McMahon.

Don’t bother

This is not a good book. The writing is clumsy and forced, particularly in Nuala’s diary. The dialogue is dumb. The politics (with which I agree) are wedged in awkwardly. Worst of all, it may have ruined Aoife McMahon for me. I thought I could listen to her reading anything, but the accent she uses for Iris is whiny and grating - although that’s how the character is written, so maybe it’s not wrong.

Not good

This book is not good. Iris and Nuala are bratty, whiny, and irritating. Dialog is awkward and unbelievable.