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Trespasses

By: Louise Kennedy
Narrated by: Brid Brennan
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Summary

* THE NO. 1 BESTSELLER (The Times) *

* SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2023 *

* WINNER OF THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS BOOK OF THE YEAR: DEBUT FICTION *

* WINNER OF THE AN POST IRISH BOOK AWARDS NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2022 *

* SHORTLISTED FOR THE WATERSTONES DEBUT FICTION PRIZE 2022 *

* AN OBSERVER BEST DEBUT NOVELIST OF 2022 *

* A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK AT BEDTIME *

One by one, she undid each event, each decision, each choice. If Davy had remembered to put on a coat. If Seamie McGeown had not found himself alone on a dark street. If Michael Agnew had not walked through the door of the pub on a quiet night in February in his white shirt.

There is nothing special about the day Cushla meets Michael, a married man from Belfast, in the pub owned by her family. But here, love is never far from violence, and this encounter will change both of their lives forever.

As people get up each morning and go to work, school, church or the pub, the daily news rolls in of another car bomb exploded, another man beaten, killed or left for dead. In the class Cushla teaches, the vocabulary of seven-year-old children now includes phrases like ‘petrol bomb’ and ‘rubber bullets’. And as she is forced to tread lines she never thought she would cross, tensions in the town are escalating, threatening to destroy all she is working to hold together.

Tender and shocking, Trespasses is an unforgettable debut of people trying to live ordinary lives in extraordinary times.

A 2022 BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR: THE TIMES * SUNDAY TIMES * GUARDIAN * TELEGRAPH * NEW STATESMAN * DAILY MAIL * IRISH TIMES * IRISH INDEPENDENT * BELFAST TELEGRAPH

©2022 Louise Kennedy (P)2022 Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
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Critic reviews

"A deeply impressive novel...[Kennedy] writes beautifully about love, awkward love, love between two people who the more censorious in our midst might say have no business being in love.... It feels true and honest, heartbreaking and tender...I love it." (Ronan Bennett)

'A compulsively readable love story." (Emma Donoghue)

"A beautiful, devastating novel." (Nick Hornby)

What listeners say about Trespasses

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Compelling

A beautifully narrated & compelling storyline. I could easily listen to this again in the future.

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Absolutely wonderful book.

I loved this. Could relate to the characters so easily. They were so real, I laughed and cried with them all. I honestly could not stop listening to it. I loved the different relationships and the whole complex and tense situation in Ireland at that time absolutely came through.
The narrator was wonderful……captured all the different characters so well.
This book is definitely the best I have listened to on audible and I will certainly listen to it again in the future.

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Excellent

Brilliantly evocative story brought to life in the audiobook by an excellent narrator. Beautifully detailed account of a very dark situation. A story of love and survival.

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Excellent quality of both novel & recording!

Such a great discovery of this exceptional novel and interpretation. Gripping till the very end.

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Real and Exciting...

this is a riveting good book, narrator was excellent, you won't be disappointed, each chapter a page Turner.

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Such a win

Wonderfully read and beautifully written, I couldn’t have loved it more and the end made me cry

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Awesome

This was perfect. I absolutely adored it. So well written. I enjoyed the narration too. I’ll be buying the paperback of this one too. I know I’ll want to read it again.

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Outstanding novel and narration

Superb. Beautiful writing that captures nuance, detailed observation, atmosphere and history. Immaculate performance by the narrator. If anyone is looking to understand life during The Troubles, send them to this novel.

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Poignant and visceral

Heartbreaking and very believable story about a young teacher and her struggles during the troubles.

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Beautifully written and performed

Grew up in NI and this book really shows the impact that te Troubles had on ordinary citizens. Highly recommended. Must admit I cried a few times, particularly when Davy McGeown's family were involved. Thank you Louise Kennedy.

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