My Glass Heart [Paperback]

'Reminiscent of Joanna Trollope ... this book sets Karen Gillece apart from much of the Irish popular fiction norm and confirms her as a force to be reckoned with'

 

(The Irish Times 20070217)

One of Ireland's finest emerging writers...she has a wonderful way with words and the ability to sum up a character in a sentence'

(Irish Examiner 20070217)

A moving read that will keep you gripped to the very end

(RTE Guide 20060304)

'A compelling read, and a chilling one. Gillece has dared to push boundaries. And the result is simply unforgettable'

 

(Irish Examiner 20060211)

'Gillece captures the characters skilfully'

(The Irish Mail on Sunday 20060401)

'A page-turner'

 

(Irish Independent 20060401)

'Queen of emerging Irish writers'

 

(Irish Independent 20060401)

Praise for Karen Gillece's novels (* )

'Evidence that this is a talented author expanding her range and reach'

 

(Irish Examiner Weekender )

'This second novel confirms the promise of Gillece's debut . . . she is no one hit wonder. She is improving with time and for once the publisher's prediction that readers will "anxiously await her next offering" doesn't ring hollow.

 

(Irish Independent )

'It is a glorious read, confirming Gillece as a fine literary writer. Gillece has a wonderful way with words, and an ability to sum up a character in a sentence . . . skilful at showing the intricacies of relationships that have gone wrong. I simply adored this novel, and was immersed in it, totally, from the start until the final pages . . . I was intrigued with all her flawed, yet fascinating characters. They stayed in my mind long after I had finished reading.

 

(Books Ireland )

'Gillece writes vividly, capturing the essence of ordinary lives turned upside down by unavoidable dilemmas...highly impressive and assured writing' (Evening Herald )

'Wonderfully sensitive...rises head and shoulder above most Irish novels of recent years' (Irish Independent )

One evening, during a dinner party she is hosting, Helen Glass slips unannounced from her home. She becomes the victim of a shocking act of violence, cheating death literally by a heartbeat. Months on, although physically healed, doubts linger between Helen and her husband William over the events that led to that momentous act. What drove Helen from her home that night? And what is the dark truth behind her relationship to her attacker? Into their lives steps Reuben, a once-celebrated playwright hungry for his next great work. Instantly drawn to the couple, he deftly immerses himself in their individual stories of obsession and deceit. As the trial of her attacker gets underway and her marriage begins to crumble under the strain, Helen finds herself leaning heavily on her new friend. But just as glass is not always transparent, friendship is not always what it seems... My Glass Heart is a dramatic story of love, obsession and a still-beating heart. (20061121)

Karen Gillece was born in Dublin in 1974. She studied Law at University College Dublin and worked for several years in the telecommunications industry before turning to writing full-time. She was shortlisted for the Hennessy New Writing Award in 2001 and her short stories have been widely published in literary journals and magazines. Her first novel Seven Nights in Zaragoza was published to widespread acclaim as was her second offering Longshore Drift. My Glass Heart is Karen's thrid novel (20070224)