‘Home truths come at a heavy price …’
– Somebody Knows
[ About Somebody Knows ]
As her adoptive mother lays dying, journalist Cara Joyce overhears a shocking piece of information about her origins. It connects her to a tragic death – that of Lucia Casey, a young woman whose body was found buried in a Connemara bog nearly thirty years ago.
To this day, Lucia’s disappearance and murder remains unsolved.
Cara’s quest to find out the truth reunites her with the powerful Casey family. But as her obsession begins to take over her life, she finds herself increasingly at odds with those around her.
Who is behind Lucia’s death and what are they hiding? And what will Cara risk in the present to solve the mysteries of the past?
[ My Review ]
Somebody Knows by Michelle McDonagh published May 23rd with Hachette Ireland and is described as ‘a page-turning story of dangerous secrets and the lengths people will go to keep them’. I thoroughly enjoyed Michelle’s 2023 debut There’s Something I Have to Tell You , referring to it at the time as a superbly crafted mystery and also seriously clever. It was very much a novel with a rural vibe, with a slurry pit central to the story. In Somebody Knows, Michelle takes her readers to the west of Ireland, specifically to Galway city and into the wilds of Connemara.
Michelle McDonagh lives in Cork but hails from Galway where she worked as a journalist for many years. Her knowledge of the county shines through, bringing the city and its stunning surrounding landscape into focus. The novel begins in 1992 when a local is cutting turf in the boglands of Connemara and he makes a gruesome discovery. Flash forward to today and Cara Joyce is by the bedside of her dying mother, Kitty. In her mother’s delirium she speaks of something that confuses Cara and when Cara also overhears something later, she is spooked. The name Lucia is mentioned leaving Cara bewildered but she puts it to one side as Kitty fades, taking her last breath. Cara and her family are devastated, unable to imagine a life without Kitty’s presence. In the acknowledgements, Michelle refers to the death of her own mother Lucy’s final days and the memories that were evoked in writing this scene, one that will resonate with anyone who has been in that very emotional and heartbroken place. Tender and beautifully portrayed, these pages are a moment of reflection, a little timeout.
Cara Joyce always knew she was adopted and had planned to further investigate her origins but her mum’s illness had delayed her research. As a journalist, Cara understood how to access information but her father and brother were encouraging her to leave well alone. Little did Cara know where this Pandora’s Box would take her.
Lucia Casey is central to this story leading Cara down a rabbit-hole as she crosses paths with the prominent Casey family, owners of a luxurious hotel near the renowned Kylemore Abbey in Connemara. I have been to Kylemore Abbey, having done the tour there a few years ago. It is a place with a fascinating history and I loved how Michelle McDonagh incorporated it into her story. As Cara travels to Kylemore to meet the Casey family, she is unaware of the obsession that is about to take hold. Her desire to uncover the truth is very important but, as she soon discovers, it all starts to get quite sinister and mysterious.
Secrets and lies, murder and mystery all combine in this exciting tale that brings the spectacular scenery of Connemara to life. Cara Joyce lives in Galway city, so we are also treated to wonderful descriptions of the buzzing atmosphere of the streets as well as the wild Atlantic coastline at Galway’s famed Salthill beach and promenade. Michelle McDonagh is clearly proud of her Galwegian roots but she is also passionate about highlighting the sins of the past and the dreadful manner in which a certain section of society were treated.
There is a strong connection to the land in Michelle McDonagh’s novels and her ability to depict landscape, while also spinning a convincing and engaging yarn, is extremely well done. There is a very Irish flare to her writing but the central story of family relationships, murder, mystery and deceit cross all borders. With some very powerful moments, capturing tenderness, drama and trauma, Somebody Knows is a compelling tale, another well-crafted story from this Irish writer who is slowly staking her claim as the ‘Queen of Irish Rural Noir’.
** Thank you to Hachette Ireland for a copy of Somebody Knows in exchange for my honest review.
[ Bio ]
Michelle McDonagh is an Irish journalist with over twenty-five years’ experience, including twelve years as a staff reporter at the Connacht Tribune. She now works freelance, writing features and health pieces for numerous Irish papers, including The Irish Times.
She is married with three children and lives in Cork.
She is the author of two novels: There’s Something I Have to Tell You and Somebody Knows.
X ~ @michellemcd
