Deirdre Purcell – författare

Why would a mother abandon her children? Children of Eve is a moving novel from acclaimed author Deirdre Purcell. Perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy and Catherine Dunne.''Any novel that is at once accessible and thought-provoking is one worth reading'' - Irish Independent Eve Moraghan broke one of the great taboos when she abandoned her children as toddlers. Now adults, Arabella, Willow and Rowan have heard nothing of their mother since the day she walked out the door, headed no one knows where. Why she went, they just don''t know. But now, it seems, they''re about to find out. Their mother''s been in an accident, and she''s sent word that she wants to see her children. The first reaction is to tell her to forget it. She gave up on them - why should they jump when she says so? And yet somehow they each find themselves on that plane, making the journey that will tell them what their past was all about - and open new doors into the future. What readers are saying about Deirdre Purcell: ''Warm, insightful, funny and poignant''''Well-written with real people''''Five stars''

When her child is in danger, a woman will break all the rules... Deirdre Purcell''s Marble Gardens is a compelling and original story with a perceptive eye into contemporary relationships. Perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy and Cathy Kelly.''Purcell is an accomplished storyteller and it is her characters that triumph'' - Ireland on Sunday Sophie and Riba have known each other since childhood. Though they couldn''t be more different - Sophie is elegant and diffident, while Riba is flamboyantly extrovert - the bond between them seems unbreakable. Then Riba''s teenaged daughter Zelda falls gravely ill. Frustrated by the limitations of conventional medicine, Riba pins all her hopes on alternative methods. Sophie is torn between her loyalty to her friend and her fear that Zelda, whom she loves like the child she cannot have, will not get the help she desperately needs. United in their distress, Sophie and Riba''s husband Brian find themselves drawn to each other. Time is running out for Zelda, for two marriages, and for a friendship... What readers are saying about Marble Gardens: ''Very tangible characters, realistic story [and a] sense of place''''Good read, realistic yarn about relationships''

In 1944, a young girl was imprisoned. Sixty years later, her story changes another woman''s life... The past and present collide in Tell Me Your Secret, the spellbinding novel from Deirdre Purcell. Perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy and Edna O''Brien.''Achingly poignant, with warm, strong characters, it will no doubt become an instant bestseller and delight all Purcell fans. Once again, she has produced a great read, popular fiction with writing that matches a literary novel and includes some telling social observation. Vintage Deirdre Purcell'' - Irish Independent An evocative and dramatic novel told in the voices of two narrators: Violet, who in 1944 is imprisoned in the tower of a rambling country house by her family; and Claudine, a modern-day property negotiator who becomes involved in handling the sale of the derelict Whitecliff in 2004. Violet''s story is of young innocent love for a local lad taking an unfortunate twist, while Claudine is a thoroughly twenty-first-century character: daughter of a loving father with a less loving stepmother, she marries in haste after her father''s death, and is at a turning point in her life when she starts to find out the true story of Violet. Is happiness a possibility for these women in their separate and very different worlds? What readers are saying about Tell Me Your Secret: ''A true hidden gem, a wonderful read''''All the characters are beautifully drawn, and the multi-layered story unfolds slowly and deliciously, at times satisfyingly happily and at others poignantly sadly''''One of the best books I have read...outstanding''

To find happiness, they must reconcile the past and present... Pearl is a moving and powerfully engaging story of three sisters, marked by a family tragedy, from acclaimed author Deirdre Purcell. Perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy and Catherine Dunne.''A sweeping love story... Fans of Purcell are bound to welcome Pearl into their lives like an old friend, and will enjoy catching up'' - Irish Independent In 1920s'' rural Ireland, Pearl Somers lives happily with her parents, her sisters Opal and Ruby, and her little brother Willie, in the gate lodge of Kilnashone Castle, where her father is chauffeur to Lord and Lady Areton. But one dreadful night, a series of dramatic events unfold and the lives of all - elite and ordinary - are changed forever. Over 40 years later, Pearl has become a successful writer. Yet there is one story she has never told, until her young cousin Catherine confesses a secret of her own that opens a door to Pearl''s past - one she thought had been firmly sealed forever. When Catherine discovers Pearl''s story of heartbreak and yearning, she determines to do her best to reconcile past and present. But is it too late for Pearl to find her own happy ending? What readers are saying about Pearl: ''A unique story line [with] rich characters''''Tragic, yet enchanting. A totally different kind of love story; not clichéd or predictable but unique and beautiful''''Five stars''

One summer changes everything... From the No 1 Irish bestselling author Deirdre Purcell comes Last Summer in Arcadia, a novel of marriage, family and survival. Perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy and Cathy Kelly.''Intimate, yet distinct. Purcell juggles voices deftly to deliver a snappy read, releasing revelations with mounting tension'' - Irish Independent The tension is palpable as Tess and Jerry Brennan sit in the drawing room of their wonderful house high above the sea, waiting for the police to arrive. Tess is facing the consequences of her own actions, innocently undertaken but devastating in their outcome; Jerry has been caught out in a misdemeanour, a transgression men have made since time began but one that in his case has repercussions that will mean the end of a successful career. Adding to Tess''s agitation is the knowledge that her two best friends are facing parallel traumas of their own. Life skated along for the three couples until last summer when they all travelled to the village of Collioure in the south of France. Now they have everything to lose: their marriages, their family lives, and their friendships. What readers are saying about Deirdre Purcell: ''Unerringly perceptive, Last Summer in Arcadia is a compellingly written, powerful exploration of the complex mix of love, trust and compromise''''Warm, insightful, funny and poignant''''Five stars''

The Husband is a gripping human story of love in its many guises, of losing everything and ultimately - in the small Midlands village of Glanmilish - of rediscovering the meaning of family.Marian Lescher''s steady if predictable life in her native Chicago is upended when she is unexpectedly swept into a love affair with Irishman Daniel Lynch, a star medic renowned for his charismatic personality. Soon she has divorced her husband and, in the throes of newfound passion, finds herself quickly remarried to this extraordinary man.Her new husband has unlocked something in Marian and she feels high on life as never before, even when a darker side to his nature begins to reveal itself.Nothing can prepare her for what is to follow, though, as devastating circumstances lead her on a trail to Daniel''s home in Ireland, and in turn back to the US, as she tries to come to terms with the enigmatic nature of the man for whom she threw it all away - only to discover that nothing was what it seemed.

Will wishes come true this holiday season? Find out in the sparkling festive novel from No.1 bestselling author Deirdre Purcell...It is almost Christmas on the Santa Clara cruise liner, and as the ship sets sail from Barcelona for the last time, dramas big and small are to unfold. On board is Kitty Golden, beautiful ex-model and wife of New York financier Saul Abelson, some 25 years her senior. They look the picture of cool contentment, but looks can be deceiving.Dubliner Mary Dunne is on board with no less than eight members of her boisterous Irish family, intent on celebration. For Mary, though, a long-hidden past brings its own twist...And wide-eyed young novelist Roxy Smith is intent on observing all in a bid to find story for that difficult second novel - until she too gets caught up in the action.With handsome Captain Leifsson in firm command of the ship, if not his heart, who knows what the journey''s end will bring. The Christmas Voyage is a seasonal story of high drama, romance and extraordinary outcomes.

Tradition, friendship, and a little seasonal magic... Deirdre Purcell writes a spellbinding novel in The Winter Gathering, a compelling tale of friendship. Perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy and Edna O''Brien. ''Spellbinding...fascinating and provocative... [Deirdre Purcell has] a new masterpiece on her hands'' - Irish Independent It''s ten years on from the first winter gathering, when four of Maggie Quinn''s closest friends rushed in to spend Christmas with her after her husband walked out just days before. And at Christmas, it doesn''t take long for an event to become a tradition.But this Christmas Day, for the first time, there''s an addition to the party, in the form of a young, very handsome man. Only one of the women knows what he''s doing there, and she''s remaining tight-lipped.So begins a new chapter in the lives of the five friends. As the winter moves towards spring, each faces personal hurdles, from family difficulties to illness to the unexpected reappearance of Maggie''s ex. Throughout, each proves that friends truly are the family you choose - and that, ultimately, the magic of Christmas can arrive at any time of year. What readers are saying about The Winter Gathering: ''Warm, insightful, funny and poignant''''Purcell''s prose flows and there are some very funny bits throughout''''Five stars''

''Thought-provoking, absorbing, superbly written ... Deirdre Purcell at her best'' Patricia ScanlanA winter cruise sounds like a dream come true. But this gift from Grace''s ex-husband is less a selfless act and more an effort to keep their highly destructive daughter Leonie away from his new family over the Christmas season.Despite her reservations, Grace accepts, hoping that a change of scene will be a good thing for herself and Leonie. Though what she really longs for is some time alone, away from her responsibilities as a mother and carer.Their cruise holiday has barely begin when Leonie''s beauty attracts the attention of Ben, a fellow passenger. But as Ben does his best to get to know Leonie, Grace finds herself developing an unexpected bond with the young novelist, one which awakens feelings in her that she had thought buried forever.Then, it''s discovered that Leonie has gone missing -- and what happens next will change the course of Grace''s life...