Show Me Where It Hurts

'A searingly beautiful novel'

Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things

'Outstanding, and has lingered in my head for a very long time'

Prima

How do you survive the unsurvivable?

Rachel lives with her husband Tom and their two children: it's the ordinary family life she always thought she'd have. All of that changes in an instant - when Tom runs the family car off the road, seeking to end his own life, and take his wife and children with him. Rachel is left to pore over the wreckage to try and understand what happened - to find a way to go on living afterwards.

What emerges is a snapshot of what it's like to live alongside someone who is suffering, how you keep yourself afloat when the person you love is drowning, and how you survive irreparable loss.

Impossible to turn away from, Show Me Where It Hurts is a compelling, heartbreaking and ultimately life-affirming story of recovery and unexpected hope.

With gentle and lulling prose, Show Me Where It Hurts is exceptional in its exploration of the grief and recovery from something unthinkable. This is simply an exquisite novel. -- Anne Griffin, author of When All Is Said
Exceptional. Also brave. One of those novels that, afterwards, makes me think not just about the story itself, but also about why we read, and the role of fiction. -- Florence Knapp, author of The Names
This thoughtful and imaginative debut glows with emotional insight and heft. It tackles a difficult and rarely discussed subject in an engaging, clear-slighted and highly readable way -- Henrietta McKervey, author of A Talented Man
This story of a woman's survival after the worst has happened, makes for a searingly beautiful novel. Stunningly crafted, with complex and shocking themes that are never shied away from, I found myself profoundly moved while frequently thinking about the characters when not reading it. This is a novel that lingers. -- Jennie Godfrey, author of The List of Suspicious Things
Wow what a debut! This book is outstanding and has lingered in my head for a very long time. Rachel and Tom are married and have two children when the unthinkable happens. The story is a deep dive into how trauma and suffering affect us. Although a hard read at times this is an entrancing searing read and actually one of hope. I definitely expect it to be on awards shortlists! I cannot stop recommending it Prima

Claire Gleeson is from Dublin, where she lives with her young family and works as a GP. Her short stories have been short- and long-listed for numerous prizes. In 2021 she was awarded a Words Ireland literary mentorship while she worked on the first draft of Show Me Where It Hurts, which went on to be a runner-up at the Irish Writers' Centre Novel Fair 2023.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.