Reviewed by Emma Crowley
When Tara Hourihan’s mother receives a letter informing her she’s inherited a house down south in Roone Bay, Tara sees her mother pale. Aoife hasn’t been back to her tiny hometown in years.
When mother and daughter arrive in town, the lawyer handling the estate gives them some shocking news: the inheritance may be split. There is evidence that Aoife’s twin sister Eithne, thought to have died as a teenager, may still be alive. Her name is listed as a patient at a local mother and baby home.
With the help of handsome local garda, Declan Ford, Tara and Aoife must untangle a decades old family secret and a possible terrible cover-up that tore the sisters apart. Did Aoife’s parents lie to her about Eithne?
What the women discover will change everything they thought they knew about their history. But can they finally put the past to rest, before it is too late?
Many thanks to Bookouture via NetGalley for my copy of The Irish Inheritance to review and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
The Irish Inheritance is the fifth book in the Emerald Isles series by Daisy O’Shea. It’s a fantastic series bringing the rich and troubled past of Ireland to life and to the forefront of readers minds. I’ve loved every book as the author blends the past and the present seamlessly and is never afraid to shy away from aspects of the country’s history that may leave a bitter taste in one’s mouth. This new story certainly lives up to this statement as it tackles tough, heartbreaking and damaging issues which still to this day have an affect on so many people throughout Ireland. I saw someone say that perhaps this book needs to come with a warning regarding the subject matter and I could see why but to be honest I was glad I was going in blind as I felt I appreciated everything even more as it was unfolding. No detail was spared; there was no whispering behind hands or shirking away from responsibilities as mother and daughter, Aoife and Tara, navigate the past in an attempt to uncover just what happened to Aoife’s twin sister Eithne so many years ago.
I have full admiration for the author is choosing to write about a period in Ireland’s history that was brushed under the carpet for so long and in some corners even to this day it would even dared to be spoken about out loud. Although there are many groups who continue to advocate for those that suffered and to whom so many injustices were done. I’m being purposefully vague as to what said issue is as I don’t want to give away any of the finer plot details and therefore ruin your reading experience. Suffice to say, the author handled things in an expert way. The subject matter was deftly and extensively developed and the cruelty and prejudice that is exposed will horrify readers who know nothing about this topic but those that are familiar with it will be pleased and deeply satisfied with the plot and its progression. By the end I felt as if I had read a deep and personal history lesson that didn’t feel stuffy or boring. Instead. I was enlightened even further on a topic I had a good range of knowledge on and I came to care deeply about each character and the eventual outcome.
A brief prologue introduces us to Eithne aged 13. It’s 1950 and she lives in Roone Bay in West Cork. She is frightened as she is being ripped apart from her family and sent to a special school. For what reason she does not know. But this separation from her family will lead to a decades long mystery for outcome regarding Eithne was never known and to this day the residents of Roone daren’t speak as to what supposedly happened to her and why. One thing that had frustrated me in the previous books was that it was never specifically stated what time period we were reading about. I knew from reading between the lines that it certainly wasn’t the modern day as things in West Cork seemed very different to how they are today. In terms of how people lived on a day to day basis and what their beliefs were and how strong a foothold the church still had over so many. At last this has been finally rectified, and I know the book is set in the 1980’s. It may seem like a small thing but to me it helps me understand more about the time period and how to be honest how Ireland was backward in so many ways.
In the more modern day aspect of the story Tara is accompanying her mother Aoife to Roone Bay where Aoife has inherited Gate Lodge. Aoife has not been back to her homeplace for a very long time and with valid reason as the reader discovers as the book progresses. There is a tangled history here and not a pleasant one by all accounts. Too many memories and hurtful events with many unanswered questions linger in Aoife’s mind and she wishes to see the solicitor and sort the sale of the house as quickly as possible. But of course, things aren’t going to be that straight forward and the mystery and intrigue that unfolded was fascinating and had me eagerly turning the pages as the layers of deceptions, secrets, hurt, betrayal, brutality and cruelty were peeled back to expose an incredible story. Sadly one that should never have happened but similar happened to many innocent women at the time.
Aoife always believed that her twin Eithne had died. For that was what she was told and who would doubt or question those that are meant to love and care for you? But there is a whole strand of secrets and deception waiting to be uncovered as Tara and Aoife learn that the legalities surrounding the cottage aren’t all that straight forward and if there is any possibility that Eithne or any of her descendants may still be alive then she will have to be located and further discussions will be had regarding the cottage. It’s a complication Aoife hadn’t reckoned on and with Tara by her side they have to uncover the truth even if facing reality may prove very challenging. I felt the first chapter should have been the fifth in terms of setting out and ordering the story as I thought things just seemed a bit all over the place and it went back instead of forward but once this straightened itself out the pace of the story really picked up. Not that there was one thing occurring after another which would have been too fast. Instead, an aspect of the past was uncovered and the reader and character were given the time and space to ponder over its implications for the overall plot. I felt I was allowed the time to digest and absorb things and consider how the story may go forward.
I enjoyed how the plot was told from several different viewpoints. We learn of Tara and Aoife in the 1980’s staying on in Roone whilst things are sorted regarding the house. It was good that Tara never sat back and pushed her mother to open up about things for it allowed her to gain a deeper understanding of what occurred so long ago and that she could attempt to right so many wrongs and uncover the truth behind her family history. The romance element of the plot that featured for Aoife just seemed a bit too convenient and rushed and if it hadn’t been there I wouldn’t have missed it at all. For my main focus was on Eithne and finding out the specific details of what happened to her. I loved how Eithne got to share her story through her own chapters told from her viewpoint at the time. It gave a well rounded balance to the overall story and as the reader was reading of things first hand you could really appreciate what she was going through even as horrifying, nasty and terrible as it was. There were some dreadful descriptions as to what befell her and what led to her being banished so to speak from her family. If I hadn’t known about this aspect of Irish history I would have perhaps thought good God surely this couldn’t be true but it was and is a shameful period that many need to know about.
There were many twists and turns throughout the story. Some I saw coming and others I did not. I loved to be kept guessing until the last possible moment before the reveal and I wasn’t disappointed and nor was I disappointed as to the ending. It could have come across as very run of the mill and typical as there could have been no other way for it to end but it didn’t at all. Redemption, forgiveness, understanding and acceptance were all found but really it was sad that a family had to go through this in the first place. All in all, The Irish Inheritance was a brilliant read, a real page turner which I read in a few sittings. It blended imagination with historical fact to perfection and gave a voice to so many women that were suppressed. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Daisy O’Shea gives off real Maeve Binchy vibes and that truly is a wonderful thing. Let’s hope there will be another book in this series published before the end of the year.
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