The powerful and moving story from the New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, Yes

The Walking People

THE POWERFUL AND MOVING NOVEL OF NEW BEGINNINGS AND OLD FAMILY SECRETS FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ASK AGAIN, YES 
 
'A fearless writer' LISA TADDEO 
'An epic story about immigration, identity and family' Guardian 
'Atmospheric, moving and brilliantly well-written' Daily Mail 
'Engrossing . . . the kind of novel you simply don't want to end' Daily Express 
'A beautifully crafted novel about love, loyalty, culture, family and identity' Irish Sunday Independent 
______ 
 
1960s Rural Ireland. Greta Cahill must abandon her quiet village to follow her fearless sister Johanna onto a ship bound for New York . . . 
 
It's here that she steps out of her sister's shadow and into a life of her own, rich with love, work and family. 
 
As the years pass Greta longs to revisit the past - to see her mother, to show her what she has made of herself. 
 
But she must protect a family secret, decades old. 
 
So when her children conspire to unite the worlds she's kept so carefully apart, Greta fears she could lose it all . . . 
 
A profoundly moving, compassionate story of self-discovery, The Walking People is a powerful and compelling story about our connection to the past. 
______ 
 
'A novel of great compassion and understanding . . . rich with story' JOHN BOYNE on Ask Again, Yes 
 
'Keane's previous novel Ask Again, Yes, was on my best Books of 2019, and this is just as good. Its slow, melodic pace proves we don't always need fast action and twists' Prima, 'Best Books of March' 
 
'The characters are so well drawn and out of the ordinary that I was quickly drawn into their story and didn't want it to end' 5***** Reader Review 
 
'The story becomes so engrossing it grows on you with its real and engaging characters ... a very moving and original love story' Irish Examiner 
 
'A gorgeous nostalgic family drama with real characters. Loved it' 5***** Reader Review 
 
Praise for Mary Beth Keane: 
 
'A fearless writer' Lisa Taddeo, author of Three Women 
 
'A novel of great compassion and understanding . . . rich with story' John Boyne 
 
'I'll read everything she writes' Liane Moriarty, author of Big Little Lies 
 
'A writer of extraordinary depth, feeling and wit' Meg Wolitzer, author of The Female Persuasion 
 
'Immersive and deeply moving' Anna Hope, author of Expectation 
 
 'It's an absolute stunner, an ode to family and forgiveness that has been crafted with compassion and insight' Sara Collins, author of The Confessions of Frannie Langton 
 
**THE HALF MOON, the new novel by Mary Beth Keane, is available to pre-order now!**

A compelling drama of transatlantic Irish life

Marries a deliciously old-fashioned style of storytelling with a fresh take on the immigrant experience . . . A warm, involving family drama

An epic story about immigration, identity and family . . . Keane portrays the complex and, at times, challenging lives of these working-class women with tenderness and compassion

Atmospheric, moving and brilliantly well-written

This atmospheric read that spans from 1950s Ireland to modern-day America and follows the fortunes of a woman on the run from a family secret

Engrossing . . . Captures the windswept grittiness of Irish poverty as vividly as the technicolour hustle and bustle of 1960s New York. The Walking People is the kind of novel you simply don't want to end

Keane's previous novel Ask Again, Yes, was on my best Books of 2019, and this is just as good. Its slow, melodic pace proves we don't always need fast action and twists. Set between Ireland and new York, it's about two sisters; one craves adventure, the other, family; both have secrets

An American dream story, told over decades, taking its reader from rural 1915 Ireland to the streets of New York and back again

A beautifully crafted novel about love, loyalty, culture, family and identity

A moving and sweeping story that takes readers from the west coast of Ireland to America, following a family of immigrants across the different decades

I was a big fan of Ask Again, Yes and this is every bit as good

An epic yarn . . . an evocative portrait of the immigrant, but also adds greater subtlety to this theme of belonging

The story becomes so engrossing it grows on you with its real and engaging characters ... the divide between urban USA and rural Ireland is brilliantly grasped ... a very moving and original love story

Praise for Ask Again, Yes

The new Little Fires Everywhere

One of the most exceptional novels of the summer . . . Has the makings of a future classic.

A beautiful novel, bursting at the seams with empathy

Absolutely brilliant, a must read for our time

Powerful and moving . . . Mary Beth Keane is a writer of extraordinary depth, feeling and wit. Readers will love this book, as I did

Meg Wolitzer, author of The Female Persuasion

A pleasantly accessible novel that will be popular with book clubs . . . Keane is a nuanced observer

Greta Cahill never believed she would leave her village in west Ireland, until she found herself on a ship bound for New York. 
 
Despite her family's cynicism, Greta discovers that in America she can fall in love, earn a living, and build a life. She longs to return to show her family what she has made of herself, but at risk of revealing a secret about her past to her children, decides to keep her new life separate, torn from the people she is closest to. 
 
Decades later, she discovers that her children, with the best of intentions, have conspired to unite the worlds she has kept apart. And though the Ireland of her memory may bear little resemblance to that of present day, she fears it is still possible to lose it all . . .

The gripping, emotional and life-affirming New York Times bestseller

Ask Again, Yes

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND RADIO 2 SUMMER BOOK CLUB PICK 
 
'The new Little Fires Everywhere . . . The perfect summer read' STYLIST 
'Stunning! An absolutely brilliant, gorgeously-written novel. A must-read for our time' LISA TADDEO 
'Immersive and deeply moving' ANNA HOPE 
'I absolutely adored it' LIANE MORIARTY 
 
*Features an extract from Mary Beth Keane's new novel The Half Moon!* 
_____________ 
 
Two ordinary families. One life-changing day . . . 
 
When the Gleesons and the Stanhopes become neighbours, lonely Lena Gleeson wants a friend. But Anne Stanhope - cold, elegant, unstable - wants to be left alone. 
 
It's left to their children - Lena's youngest, Kate, and Anne's only child, Peter - to find their way to one another. 
 
To form a friendship whose resilience and love will be almost broken by the fault line dividing both families, and a tragedy that will engulf them all. 
 
A tragedy whose true origins only become clear many years later . . . 
 
When everything has fallen apart, can their children's love pull it back together again? 
_____________ 
 
A BOOK OF THE YEAR IN PRIMA, VOGUE, PEOPLE, ELLE AND NPR 
 
'It's an absolute stunner, an ode to family and forgiveness that has been crafted with compassion and insight' Sara Collins, bestselling author of The Confessions of Frannie Langton 
 
'Keane takes on one of the most difficult problems in fiction - how to write about human decency . . . a compelling case for compassion over blame, understanding over grudge, and the resilience of hearts that can accept the contradictions of love' Louise Erdrich, National Book Award winning author of The Round House 
 
'Leaves one shaking one's head in frank admiration. A triumph' Matthew Thomas, bestselling author of We Are Not Ourselves

Stunning! An absolutely brilliant, gorgeously-written novel by a fearless writer. Ask Again, Yes is both haunting and hopeful, like life itself. It's the consummate epic family story, one I can't stop thinking and talking about. A must-read for our time

The new Little Fires Everywhere . . . Exploring mental health, grief, forgiveness and love, this conjures up the work of Celeste Ng and Anne Tyler - and we can't give higher praise than that. The perfect summer read

A wonderful novel about a lifetime of love . . . Focusing on a small cast over several decades allows Keane to explore universal themes: marriage, family, betrayal and forgiveness. Above all, what is a good life well lived?

One of the most exceptional novels of the summer . . . Has the makings of a future classic. Keane's prose is spare and elegant and she writes about mental illness and alcholism with compassion. It's a remarkable achievement

I adored this book. I sank completely into the world of this novel and loved being there from beginning to end. Ask Again, Yes reminds us that after happily-ever-after comes the grit and grief of everyday love: in-laws, illnesses, betrayals and, scariest of all, the flaws that each partner will uncover in the other. It's an absolute stunner, an ode to family and forgiveness that has been crafted with compassion and insight

Sara Collins, bestselling author of The Confessions of Frannie Langton

Compelling . . . it is neighbourly conflict, not love, that drives this quietly devastating story . . . There are multiple twists skilfully delivered. The novel raises a series of profound questions . . . [and] as an exploration of parent-child relationships, the novel is both thoughtful and powerful

This is one beautiful book. I was wowed by Keane's writing and narrative skill - and by what she knows about trouble

I absolutely adored Ask Again, Yes. I was only a few chapters in when I knew Mary Beth Keane was about to become one of my favourite authors. I'll read everything she writes

A pleasantly accessible novel that will be popular with book clubs ... Keane is a nuanced observer

A novel of great compassion and understanding . . . rich with story

Powerful and moving . . . Mary Beth Keane is a writer of extraordinary depth, feeling and wit. Readers will love this book, as I did

Meg Wolitzer, bestselling author of The Female Persuasion

One of the most exceptional novels of the summer . . . Has the makings of a future classic

Leaves one shaking one's head in frank admiration. A triumph

Matthew Thomas, bestselling author of We Are Not Ourselves

Keane takes on one of the most difficult problems in fiction - how to write about human decency . . . a compelling case for compassion over blame, understanding over grudge, and the resilience of hearts that can accept the contradictions of love

Louise Erdrich, National book award winning author of The Round House

A shocking tragedy turns what had been a portrait of domestic tension into a profound story of trauma and blame. Keane's gracefully restrained prose gives her characters dignity

A captivating, authentic and intricately-woven story . . . Immensely affecting, this book poses big questions. Can we ever escape our history? Are we prisoners of our bloodlines? Ultimately, this book is an examination of love - familial and romantic. It is an epic story, quietly told. And it is all the better for that

A story with real heart - moving and subtle and often very touching

If tense family dramas are your thing, you'll love this. I found this story hugely engrossing and the characters so well-drawn, I became completely invested in their lives

A candidate for one of my best books of the year. I savoured every word of this eloquent, lyrical novel, which explores how the secrets that families carry can effect future generations . . . I was swept up in the drama

An explosive study of family dynamics . . . moving and thought-provoking . . . a gripping family saga that tackles mental illness and addiction and explores how childhood can inescapably shape the future

Fans of Liane Moriarty, meet your new favourite author

Family ties are stretched to breaking point in the baking hot New York summer of 1973 . . . A book that's full of life lessons for people in a particular stage of their lives

Keane draws two families in sharp, moving detail, effortlessly peeling back decades of history to look at friendship, mental health, and the changing and sometimes warped face of love

A rare example of propulsive storytelling infused with profound insights about blame, forgiveness and abiding love

Displaying impressive reach . . . Keane delivers an epic of domestic emotional turmoil . . . Tender and patient, the novel avoids excessive sweetness while planting itself deep in the soil of commitment and attachment. Graceful and mature. A solidly satisfying, immersive read

An immersive read about family secrets and redemption

A gut-wrenching tale centered around the families of two rookie, next-door neighbor NYPD cops and a tragedy that reverberates over four decades. The book revolves around the bond between their children, the daily intimacies of marriage and the power of forgiveness

One of the most unpretentiously profound books I've read in a long time . . . As a writer, Keane reminds me a lot of Ann Pratchett; Both have the magical ability to seem to be telling "only" a closely-observed domestic tale that transforms into something else deep and, yes, universal. In Keane's case, that "something else" is a story about forgiveness and acceptance - qualities that sound gooey, but are so hard to achieve in life . . . Modestly magnificent

An Updikean epic of intertwined families destabilized by grief and estrangement following a mother's breakdown, then redeemed by their enduring compassion for one another

Best Books by Women Summer 2019, OPRAH Magazine

A powerful tale of two neighbouring families forever entwined by love and tragedy. . . A touching read

Mary Beth Keane draws two families in sharp, moving detail . . . With hints of Curtis Sittenfeld about it - the way it effortlessly unspools years, but buffets you with a huge amount of detail - it considers friendship and mental ill health, how love changes and warps, and despite a fairly slow start, does so beautifully

A miniature epic . . . like Elizabeth Strout, Keane is good at creating distinctive characters - flawed, empathetic men and women whose inner landscapes she captures in powerful, pared-down prose. The novel is a nuanced portrait of the impact of mental illness and addiction, the limitations and endurance of love and of how 'we repeat what we don't repair'

A thought-provoking read exploring mental illness, alcoholism and violence

Fans of Celeste Ng will love this modern American novel based on two families linked by tragedy and passion . . . A lovely mix of childhood memories growing in to adulthood, and its really powerful

With the author's deftness of touch, characters are rendered as real as those you encounter in daily life, and it's hard not to think about them even after reading the last pages

An engrossing drama about family, forbidden love, the toll of mental illness and the power of mercy

A powerful novel about mental illness, alcoholism, love and redemption

A gripping and compassionate family drama set between neighbours in suburban New York 
 
Gillam, upstate New York: a town of ordinary, big-lawned suburban houses. The Gleesons have recently moved there and soon welcome the Stanhopes as their new neighbours. Lonely Lena Gleeson wants a friend but Anne Stanhope - cold, elegant, unstable - wants to be left alone. 
 
When a terrible tragedy engulfs them all, the families are divided, seemingly for good. Until their children, Kate and Peter, meet again as adults, and the violence of the past must be vanquished by the power of love.

Mary Beth Keane

Mary Beth Keane writes to the heart of the human heart. She shows us how love can deepen, how love can stall - hang in the sky like a half moon, waxing and waning in the same moment, equal parts shadow and light. I could not put this book down'

Miranda Cowley Heller, author of Sunday Times bestseller The Paper Palace

Absorbing ... Keane excels at moments of interior deliberation ... it's such a pleasure to sink into Keane's quietly luminous prose ... Her recordings of the small, significant moments of life have a way of standing for something larger... [Keane's] perceptive, generous observations and attention to her characters' inner lives make for a book that is much, much more than the sum of its characters. She manages to find the extraordinary grace in our achingly ordinary world

I adored this compelling, touching, exquisitely crafted story about a marriage in crisis. As a devoted fan of Mary Beth Keane, I'm already looking forward to whatever she chooses to write next!

I fell in love with The Half Moon from the first page, and barely looked up until I'd finished. Mary Beth Keane has written another brilliantly absorbing novel about complicated marriages and family dynamics - how they shape us, yes, but how they undo us as well. Prepare to lose yourself in this book

Sara Collins, bestselling author of The Confessions of Frannie Langton

Mary Beth Keane is one of our finest writers on the interior complexities of marriage and family. She shines a flashlight on the intricate clockwork of love and longing that runs inside us; and because of the thoughtfulness of that examination, beauty and possibility are visible. I ran my finger over sentences while reading, thinking: Yes, exactly. This kind of fiction recognizes us, and allows us to look around our own lives with respect and kindness, and is therefore a great gift

Ann Napolitano, author of New York Times bestseller Dear Edward

Keane writes in a sturdily realist vein-the vivid, domesticated world of Anne Tyler, of William Trevor, of Elizabeth Strout-but her insights into matters of the heart, longing and restlessness especially, have astonishing delicacy

A masterful novel that tells with great tenderness how love goes wrong and how, with hope, it can be righted. Mary Beth Keane is an unnervingly talented novelist - dead-on brilliant, authentic, full of humour, and possessing a dark and comforting wisdom. The Half Moon is a triumph

Adrienne Brodeur, author of Wild Game

A quietly marvellous story of dreams, disappointments and second chances, but, mostly, love

Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake

Keane explores the sacrifices of a marriage . . . The tension is undeniable and deeply compelling . . . with an unexpected twist, Keane's charming, tautly-paced, and introspective novel will delight

Here, a full marriage story is compressed within the span of a single week as charming, gregarious bartender Malcolm and his conscientious lawyer wife Jess confront the longtime fissures in their union and the many dreams deferred

The Best in Upcoming Fiction, Entertainment Weekly

You'll root for both sides in this deftly written novel

A man walks into a bar... at the start of this remarkable novel, and how does Mary Beth Keane do it? Because I walked right on in there after him, into this sublime, shaken snow globe of a story. A story that unpeels the human psyche with compassion and wisdom and extraordinary insight. She is hands down one of my favourite writers

Fran Littlewood, author of Amazing Grace Adams

I LOVED The Half Moon. She's an extraordinary writer who explores the complications of human relationships with so much perceptive brilliance. Every character in this wonderful book is so nuanced - I've thought about it often since finishing

Caroline Lea. author of Prize Women

Keane is an expert at writing about the complexities of marriage and family

This is such a delicate story about the real heartbreaks of life. Keane captures the intricacies and tiny breakdowns that happen behind closed doors as though slowly letting the air out of you - gradually, page by page, without you really noticing - just like the marriage she so masterfully depicts in the novel. It was sad, healing and relatable, all at once

Claire Daverley, author of Talking at Night

Malcolm Gephardt, gregarious bartender at the Half Moon in Upstate New York, has always dreamed of owning a bar. When his boss retires, Malcolm seizes his chance. His wife, Jess, has devoted herself to her law career, but after years of unsuccessfully trying for a baby finds herself slipping away from her work and her marriage. 
 
When a blizzard hits their town, on the same day that Malcolm learns some shocking news about Jess, and a key patron of the bar disappears, everyone is frozen in place for a single, pivotal week, forcing Malcolm and Jess to confront their uncertain future.

Mary Beth Keane

Praise for The Half Moon

Mary Beth Keane writes to the heart of the human heart. She shows us how love can deepen, how love can stall - hang in the sky like a half moon, waxing and waning in the same moment, equal parts shadow and li ...

Absorbing ... Keane excels at moments of interior deliberation ... it's such a pleasure to sink into Keane's quietly luminous prose ... Her recordings of the small, significant moments of life have a w ...

I adored this compelling, touching, exquisitely crafted story about a marriage in crisis. As a devoted fan of Mary Beth Keane, I'm already looking forward to whatever she chooses to write next!

Mary Beth Keane writes to the heart of the human heart. She shows us how love can deepen, how love can stall - hang in the sky like a half moon, waxing and waning in the same moment, equal parts shadow and li ...

Absorbing ... Keane excels at moments of interior deliberation ... it's such a pleasure to sink into Keane's quietly luminous prose ... Her recordings of the small, significant moments of life have a w ...

I adored this compelling, touching, exquisitely crafted story about a marriage in crisis. As a devoted fan of Mary Beth Keane, I'm already looking forward to whatever she chooses to write next!

Mary Beth Keane writes to the heart of the human heart. She shows us how love can deepen, how love can stall - hang in the sky like a half moon, waxing and waning in the same moment, equal parts shadow and li ...

Absorbing ... Keane excels at moments of interior deliberation ... it's such a pleasure to sink into Keane's quietly luminous prose ... Her recordings of the small, significant moments of life have a w ...

I adored this compelling, touching, exquisitely crafted story about a marriage in crisis. As a devoted fan of Mary Beth Keane, I'm already looking forward to whatever she chooses to write next!

Books by Mary Beth Keane

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