The Spinning Heart

Finalist for the Booker Prize A stunning new paperback edition of the author of The Queen of Dirt Island's poignant debut novel, capturing the madness, anguish, and compassion of a working-class community in contemporary rural Ireland. “One of my favorite Irish books . . . Moving, atmospheric and beautiful.” —Tana French Irish Book of the Decade (Dublin Book Festival) • First Book Award (The Guardian) • “Newcomer of the Year” and “Book of the Year” (Irish Book Award) • “Best Book of the Year” (Library Journal) Set in the wake of Ireland’s devastating financial collapse following its Celtic Tiger boom, The Spinning Heart explores the fractured lives of a rural community left reeling by the sudden closure of a once-thriving construction firm. As the community grapples with vanishing jobs and crumbling livelihoods, tensions escalate, and a shocking act of violence ripples through the town, forcing each character to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves and each other. Wry, vulnerable, and profoundly moving, The Spinning Heart is at its core a story about identity—how people present themselves to the world, and the inner truths they conceal.