Reviewed by Emma Crowley
Ring-a-ring o’ rosie . . .
... Someone wants to play.
... Who's not playing the game?
... Now Someone must pay.
Jen Harper likes to play it safe. She is settling into life on the outskirts of a sleepy fishing village with her little boy, Danny. Life by the sea – just how she wanted it.
When she meets Andy, she feels the time has come to put her baggage and the scars of the past behind her. Then she is introduced to Scott, Andy’s best friend, and is stung by his obvious disdain for her. Why is Scott so protective of his best friend? What is the dark secret that threatens all of them?
In her attempt to find answers, Jen must confront her demons and push her relationships to their limits. By digging up the past, she puts Danny and herself in danger. Will she succeed in uncovering the truth before they all fall down?
Today it's my pleasure to shine the spotlight on Irish debut author Cat Hogan whose debut novel They All Fall Down was published last month.
Cat Hogan was born into a home of bookworms and within spitting distance of the sea. Her father, Pat, a lightship man, instilled in her a love of the sea and the stars. Her mother, Mag, taught her how to read before she could walk. Writing, storytelling and a wild imagination is part of her DNA.
The beautiful County Wexford, Ireland is home to Cat, her musician partner Dave, two beautiful sons Joey and Arthur, and her tomcat Jim Hawkins. There they live a life of storytelling, song and adventure. The other love of Cat’s life is food. A self-professed foodie, there is nothing she loves more than feeding a houseful of friends round her kitchen table.
When she is not conjuring up imaginary friends, she can be found supporting local musicians and writers of which there is an abundance in her home town. One of her first endorsements for her novel is also her favourite and comes from fellow Wexfordian of Artemis Fowl fame.
'If the Gone Girl met the Girl on the Train, they would have come up with They All Fall Down' - Eoin Colfer.
They All Fall Down is Cat’s debut novel.
Can you tell us a little bit about your debut novel They All Fall Down?
They All Fall Down is a grim tale and not for the readers who like a happy ever after! It’s set in a fictional fishing village in Wexford and looks at what happens to a group of friends if one has a more sinister agenda. It also looks at the destruction addiction can cause on families and the thin line between love and obsession
Which came first, the characters or the plot?
Characters without a doubt. I had an idea of where the story was going but the characters told it for me. Their traits, motivations and reactions drove the story forward. Two characters became six and the novel evolved from there.
If you had to describe They All Fall Down in one sentence, what would it be?
I am going to quote Eoin Colfer here. He described it perfectly when he said, ‘Hogan blends chills, thrills and heartfelt emotion- They All Fall Down is an intoxicating cocktail of psychological thriller and emotional rollercoaster.
