When Gabriel Flaherty plunges to his death from a cliff in suspicious circumstances, it is left to his brother Michael, a priest from New York, to return home to The Island and uncover what has happened.
Michael finds his childhood home much changed. With the opening of a factory, the sea that had given the islanders their livelihoods, as well as claiming so many of their lives, is no longer paramount. But along with steadier incomes and easier lives, the factory has brought suspicion and jealousy.
Whilst confronting his past – his estranged father, the old priest who shaped his life and his first love – Michael uncovers an intricate, far-reaching web of evil that touches everyone he knows.
But when the close-knit islanders realise the full extent of what is going on, they unite to avenge their own, seeking justice of a different kind. As the net tightens, they hold their breath, waiting to see who will survive…
Michael finds his childhood home much changed. With the opening of a factory, the sea that had given the islanders their livelihoods, as well as claiming so many of their lives, is no longer paramount. But along with steadier incomes and easier lives, the factory has brought suspicion and jealousy.
Whilst confronting his past – his estranged father, the old priest who shaped his life and his first love – Michael uncovers an intricate, far-reaching web of evil that touches everyone he knows.
But when the close-knit islanders realise the full extent of what is going on, they unite to avenge their own, seeking justice of a different kind. As the net tightens, they hold their breath, waiting to see who will survive…
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Reviews
Reading Second Son is like using a camera with a fast shutter speed to follow a sequence of shots. The chapters are brief and intense, rapidly mounting layer unpon layer of intrigue. '...his flair for language is evident in every sentence, particularly in his use of verbs. He has a pitch-perfect ear for colloquialisms of both Irish and American expression. An absolute pleasure to read.
Second Son is a terrific thriller that belts along at a rate of knots. '...the suspense is highwire.'Watch out for the movie.
'In Second Son he manages to combine a fast-paced thriller with a gentle and affectionate portrait of a beautiful but remote and isolated community...' 'It's a bit like reading Robert Ludlum crossed with John Millington Synge.
A most confident first novel...A masterful debut...zips along at a terrific pace.
...he has a poetic turn of phrase and uses language well in his debut novel.' 'This is excellent first outing with a hint of great things to come.