The Irish Key

Take the key, my pet. I can't ever go back. The last letter I had from Ireland was clear about that. But one day you may need a safe haven, and it's the one thing I can give you. Ireland is in your blood, it will keep you safe.'

When Grace arrives tired, tearful and rain-soaked in Roone Bay, the little Irish village where her grandmother Caitlin grew up, she is overwhelmed with longing for Caitlin's safe, warm arms. The crumbling wreck of Caitlin's once-beautiful childhood cottage - whose key Grace was given on her wedding day as a secret refuge if she ever needed it - is not the fresh start she'd hoped for. But with her young daughter Olivia to look after and a painful past to hide from, Grace has to stay strong.

Plucking up the courage to ask for help from her kind new neighbours - including quietly rugged carpenter Sean Murphy - Grace gets to work making the house habitable. Soon the view of the deep emerald sea has her captivated, Olivia is blossoming, and Sean makes her laugh in a way she'd forgotten she could...

As she learns more about her family history, with Sean by her side, Grace's curiosity unearths only further mystery. What drove Caitlin away from Ireland, never to return? But when Grace uncovers a long-lost letter to Caitlin that reveals the heartbreaking truth, she is suddenly threatened by her own devastating secrets.

Grace may have finally found a home for her little family. But when faced with everything she ran from, will the past tear her apart once more? Or will Grace find the strength to stand up for her daughter, her love for Sean, and her new life in Ireland?

This utterly heartbreaking, completely life-affirming story of a family secret that echoes down the generations is perfect for fans of Susanne O'Leary and Tricia O'Malley.

What readers are saying about The Irish Key:

'The magic of Ireland!... wonderful... Will keep you enthralled to the last page.' Goodreads reviewer, ?????

'Stunning... truly carried my heart away to Ireland... It was an emotional journey I won't forget and yes, I closed the book with a 'sigh of satisfaction!'... 5 Stars... I absolutely adored this novel.' Cindy L. Spear, ?????

'This story has everything - mystery, intrigue, true love, family, the kindness of strangers and hope... An absolutely wonderful story that I look forward to recommending to my friends.'NetGalley reviewer, ?????

'Finds its way into your heart... lovely... this really is a memorable story... stays with you long after the last page'Jaffareadstoo, ?????

'Fall in love with Roone B

Sue Lewando was a teacher for several years before migrating to the office environment, where she was PA to the Treasurer of Clarks Shoes, a multi-national company, then, briefly, PA to Susan George, the actress best known for Straw Dogs. Sue had many genre books published (M&B and Virgin), under pseudonyms, and self-publishes her crime thrillers. She was on the committee of the Romantic Novelists' Association in England, for whom she assessed typescripts.

She has been a fiction tutor for the London School of Journalism for twenty years. She has two grown-up children, a happy second marriage, and a bundle of cats and dogs. She moved to West Cork with her husband to undertake a farmhouse refurbishment project, foster their joint passion for playing Irish traditional music, and to invest time in their individual academic projects.

She recently completed a Masters in Creative Writing at UCC, taking the opportunity to explore diverse writing genres. She works with the Jeremy Murphy Literary Consultancy in the capacity of typescript analyst, ghostwriter, editor, and online publishing advisor. She loves good commercial fiction, and is a devotee of the Oxford comma.

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