Overview

KEVIN NEAL, at the foot of the Blackstairs Mountains, fails to bait a Púca to fight. In this compelling, heartrending, Irish coming-of-age story, he learns too well what it costs when monsters are unleashed. Decades before the great famine, the youngest Neal boy survives the war but believes he has lost everyone. A stubborn persistence, a crumpled letter and the nurturing support of rural mountain folk enable him on his journey through his formative years. When he locates a childhood friend-Anastasia Kelly, he learns that she has become aloof and part of a different world. ANTY is as much a stranger to him as the tenants around an abbey by the seashore. The orphans try to hide from the past, but the violence encircling threatens what little they have left. Can the orphans survive the wake of an Irish rebellion and the troubles unleashed? And, how does a boy fight a thing that tears apart the living and cuts through bone, without alerting a corrupt gentry and the sheriff's men?

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9781777815509

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This is a good, solid, adventure mystery that ticks all the right boxes in the reader's head, and I can highly recommend it. -Readers' Favorite (Grant Leishman), (5 Stars) O'Brien has crafted an edge-of-your-seat tale with a vivid, dramatic presence in this debut historical thriller. ...strong, engaging characters ...The finely tuned combination of war chronicle, mystery, folklore, adventure, and romance makes this a novel that will appeal to a wide audience. -The US Review of Books (RECOMMENDED) A vivid, gut-wrenching and charming historical thriller that captures a man's coming of age in early (nineteenth) century Ireland... Neal 's journey is well-worth taking. -BestThrillers.com O'Brien's opening is strong and visceral in its depiction of the mayhem of war, and the chapters that follow maintain a persistent suspense. ...With polished prose and crackling dialogue, he draws deep on the culture and character of his milieu. ...An accomplished historical novel of mystery and coming of age in a divided Ireland. -Booklife Reviews Clochan brims with violence, political intrigue, folk-magic and romance. By turns brutal, comedic and intimate. Part rural history, part murder-mystery. ...Is emotionally honest, as are Kevin's relations with a gallery of supporting characters. Clochan's dialogue provides humour and richness to its characters... will appeal to fans of historical fiction. -Blueink Reviews ...Over the course of this novel, O'Brien's realistic dialogue is its strongest attribute. ...An often thrilling tale that expertly mixes fantasy and history. ...he's done a significant amount of research into the politics and folklore of his story's time and place, resulting in compelling worldbuilding throughout. -Kirkus Reviews ...creates a vivid story, indeed. -The Midwest Book Review The characters of Clochan are wonderfully engaging, .. Their journey throughout the story is the beating heart of the excellent drama and mystery... I recommend this book to everyone. -Readers' Favorite (K.C. Finn), (5 Stars) The narrative was heavy with dread and death from the beginning. ...had a sense of foreboding and a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. ...Kevin was traumatized and hurt, but he didn't let the past dictate his life. People around him played an important part in his progress. The mystery behind Anty, the need to find the truth, and the overall feel of Clochan were great. -Readers' Favorite (Rabia Tanveer), (5 Stars)

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