In a quiet Irish town, the truths relating to the murder of Evangeline Walter, and the subsequent deaths of two men, are buried deep. While she was alive, Evangeline was like a dark cloud over all those who came into contact with her; and the cloud is still there - ominous and brooding - ten years after her death.
Gil Sweeney was just eight years old when Evangeline Walter died and events changed his life for ever. Now, aged 18, Gil is determined to find out what happened to his family ten years before. Was his father a murderer?
What are the secrets that his mother has so carefully hidden all these years? And what did Gil see that night?
Told through a combination of present day narration, flashbacks, newspaper extracts and e-mails, Following the Wake starts out with a number of seemingly unrelated threads. Gradually, these threads are all brought together and woven into an intricate web of secrets and lies. Starting slowly, but intriguingly, the suspense builds as the various characters and relationships are revealed.
This is an excellent psychological thriller. Some characters want the truth
to come out; others are determined to keep it hidden, and the conflicting motivations
make this a very tense and intense tale. The narration is excellent. Gerard
O'Hare has a lovely voice, and he's particularly good at the female and young
peoples' voices.
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Donna Moore
Other books by Gemma O’Connor are Falls the shadow, Sins of Omission, Time
to Remember and Farewell to the Flesh.