The Irish Key: An Utterly Heart-Wrenching and Gripping Irish Novel Filled with Family Secrets

Description

‘Take the key, my pet. I can’t ever go back. And it’s the only thing I can give you. Ireland is in your blood.’

When Grace arrives in Roone Bay, the village where her grandmother Caitlin grew up, the wreck of Caitlin’s cottage – whose key Grace was given on her wedding day as a secret refuge if she ever needed it – is not the fresh start she’d hoped for. But hiding from a painful past and with her daughter, Olivia, to look after, Grace must stay strong.

Plucking up the courage to ask for help from rugged carpenter Sean Murphy – Grace gets to work making the house habitable. Soon the view of the deep emerald sea has her captivated and Sean makes her laugh in a way she’d forgotten she could.

But when Grace uncovers a long-lost letter to Caitlin that reveals a heartbreaking truth, her new life is suddenly threatened by her own devastating secrets…

This utterly heartbreaking, completely life-affirming story of a family secret that echoes down the generations is perfect for fans of Susanne O’Leary and Tricia O’Malley.

What readers are saying about The Irish Key:

‘The magic of Ireland!… wonderful… Will keep you enthralled to the last page.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Stunning… truly carried my heart away to Ireland… It was an emotional journey I won’t forget and yes, I closed the book with a ‘sigh of satisfaction!’… 5 Stars… I absolutely adored this novel.’ Cindy L. Spear, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘This story has everything – mystery, intrigue, true love, family, the kindness of strangers and hope… An absolutely wonderful story that I look forward to recommending to my friends.’NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Finds its way into your heart… lovely… this really is a memorable story… stays with you long after the last page‘Jaffareadstoo, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Fall in love with Roone Bay… I felt as if I were right there, by the sea… will stay with you for a long time after you finish… I can’t stop thinking about [it]… magical… sure to strike the reader’s heart‘ SusanLovesBooks, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Beautiful… breath taking… wonderfully written story of family, friendship, and filled with hope… kept me flying through the pages… wonderful… I felt like I was standing on the shores of Roone Bay and enjoying the beautiful emerald sea… highly recommend’ Page Turners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘A lovely novel of second chances, family secrets, and ultimately found family… will have you rooting for Grace and Oliviato find their happy place.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Binding Type: Paperback
Author: Daisy O’Shea
Published: 12/09/2025
Publisher: Bookouture
ISBN: 9781836183617
Pages: 368
Weight: 0.57lbs
Size: 0.95″ H x 7.80″ L x 5.25″ W

About the Author
Sue Lewando was a teacher for several years before migrating to the office environment, where she was PA to the Treasurer of Clarks Shoes, a multi-national company, then, briefly, PA to Susan George, the actress best known for Straw Dogs. Sue had many genre books published (M&B and Virgin), under pseudonyms, and self-publishes her crime thrillers. She was on the committee of the Romantic Novelists’ Association in England, for whom she assessed typescripts.

She has been a fiction tutor for the London School of Journalism for twenty years. She has two grown-up children, a happy second marriage, and a bundle of cats and dogs. She moved to West Cork with her husband to undertake a farmhouse refurbishment project, foster their joint passion for playing Irish traditional music, and to invest time in their individual academic projects.

She recently completed a Masters in Creative Writing at UCC, taking the opportunity to explore diverse writing genres. She works with the Jeremy Murphy Literary Consultancy in the capacity of typescript analyst, ghostwriter, editor, and online publishing advisor. She loves good commercial fiction, and is a devotee of the Oxford comma.