The new novel by the author of the acclaimed The Convictions of John Delahunt - a cunningly plotted, beautifully written historical crime fiction to stand alongside the novels of John Banville, Andrew Taylor and Kate Mosse.
Born in Co. Wexford, ANDREW HUGHES was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. A qualified archivist, he worked for RTE before going freelance. It was while researching his acclaimed social history of Fitzwilliam Square - Lives Less Ordinary- Dublin's Fitzwilliam Square, 1798-1922 - that he first came across the true story of John Delahunt that inspired his debut novel, The Convictions of John Delahunt. Andrew Hughes lives in Dublin.
What a story he tells and what a voice he uses to tell it: Abigail
Lawless is a joy. This is the kind of writing that pushes you
gently into a different world then holds you there until the last
sentence. Just brilliant.
*DONAL RYAN*
An exceptionally good book . . . Abigail is a marvellous character,
who half-inhabits a Jane Austen-like world of balls and fine
clothes, yet whose real interest and talent is in science,
especially forensic science . . . [she] speculates ceaselessly, and
that and her humanity are what makes her such a rich and satisfying
character.
*C J SANSOM*
The Coroner's Daughter starts with the best first sentence I have
read in an age . . . Abigail is a wonderful heroine; fascinated by
the macabre, scientifically minded and spiked with wit. Historical
fiction is awash with amateur sleuths following ye olde clues but
this sparkling crime novel breathes life into the genre.
*THE TIMES*
The Coroner's Daughter is that rare thing, a beautifully-crafted
novel that is also gripping and powerful. It’s superb.
*WILLIAM RYAN, author of The Constant Soldier*
The plot is intriguing and the father-daughter relationship honest
and delightful, but it is Abigail – one of the most attractive
heroines in a long time – who carries the day.
*DAILY MAIL*
Engaging . . . atmospheric . . . there are strong echoes of the
first Benjamin Black novel . . . [a] gory blend of historical
detail and fiction has resulted in a compelling second novel. The
Coroner's Daughter is good old-fashioned storytelling that will
keep readers turning the pages as the shadows begin to fall.
*IRISH TIMES*
Hughes vividly evokes the dank and often disturbing atmosphere of
Dublin, 1816, and his plotting neatly upends the reader’s
expectations. Best of all is young Abigail Lawless, headstrong and
inconvenient in her determination to question the accepted rules of
scientific investigation. I hope she’ll be back for further
forensic adventures.
*CHRISTOPHER FOWLER, author of the Bryant & May series*
[Abigail] is a great character, plausible and well-drawn, in a
novel full of them . . . The Coroner's Daughter briskly and
efficiently sets its scene, then concentrates on telling a rattling
good story . . . an enjoyable and thought-provoking novel.
*IRISH INDEPENDENT*
A deeply satisfying novel, written with a poetic flair which brings
time, people and place into vivid life and a compelling plot which
had me cheering Abigail on even while I feared for her, her family
and friends. A brilliant evocation of strange times and twisted
histories.
*IMOGEN ROBERTSON*
If you like Treasure Island, and Sheridan le Fanu, and adventures
in danger and cold in the Wicklow hills that end with a rescue and
the heroes, wrapped in blanket, recovering with a nip of brandy in
front of a roaring fire at an inn, you will like this.
*BOOKS IRELAND*
I enjoyed it hugely. The author’s evocation of middle-class life in
Dublin in 1816 is very convincing and his heroine, Abigail, is
wonderfully feisty and engaging. The nascent sciences of forensics,
astronomy and animatronics are brought to life . . . the plot
cleverly keeps the reader guessing with a growing sense of menace,
maintaining the tension until the final and surprising twist. A
very fine achievement.’
*CHARLES PALLISER, author of The Quincunx*
Andrew Hughes is a wonderfully talented author, bringing Dublin and
its surroundings to life with deft characterisations, detailed but
never laboured descriptions, and a plot which will have readers
racing through the pages. An utterly transporting book and highly
recommended.
*HISTORICAL NOVELS REVIEW*
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