Where They Lie: The thrillingly atmospheric debut from an exciting new voice in crime fiction

In 1943, Julia Bridges, an actress, disappears. In 1968, Nicoletta Sarto, a junior reporter, discovers her bones in a garden. Where They Lie is a murder mystery and a look at a young woman's struggle to succeed in a man's world. It is atmospheric, authentic, and poignant, transporting the reader back in time while holding up a mirror to the present.

Format: Hardback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 01 February 2024
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd

A thrillingly dark and atmospheric tale, richly evocative of its time, "Where They Lie" by John Banville is a novel that transcends the genre of mystery. Tana French, in her review, describes it as "a window into a vanished world." The gripping and brilliantly atmospheric story by RodDY DOYLE keeps coming back, echoing down through the decades, until it finds a teller.

Set in Dublin in 1943, the novel revolves around the disappearance of actress Julia Bridges. The last sighting of her is entering the house of Gloria Fitzpatrick, who is later put on trial for the murder of another woman whose abortion she facilitated. However, it is never proven that Gloria had a hand in Julia's death, and her body has never been found. Gloria is sentenced to life in an institution for the criminally insane until her apparent suicide a few years later, and the truth of what happened to Julia Bridges dies with her.

Fast forward to 1968, and Nicoletta Sarto, an ambitious junior reporter for the Irish Sentinel, is drawn into investigating the 25-year-old mystery of Julia's disappearance and her link to the notorious Gloria Fitzpatrick. The story takes Nicoletta into the tangled underworld of the illegal abortion industry, stirring up long-buried secrets from her own past. As much a murder mystery story as a look at a young woman's struggle to succeed in a man's world, "Where They Lie" is a beautifully atmospheric debut that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

Atmospheric and absorbing, the novel is an ambitious young journalist's journey to unexpected truths. Val McDermid, in her review, praises it as "a dark, gorgeously-written thriller, its tap root deep in a past so vividly." The novel's vivid portrayal of the time and place adds to its allure, making it a must-read for anyone who enjoys a thrilling and atmospheric tale.

Weight: 558g
Dimension: 161 x 242 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781398521704