The Doll's House

(Paperback)

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Description

When the body of popular talk show host Keith Jenkins is discovered in the icy waters of the canal during the early hours of a chilly Dublin morning, everyone wants to know why. With media attention gaining momentum by the hour, the list of potential suspects is enormous. Is the killer a crazed fan A disgruntled business associate An angry participant from Jenkins' car-crash TV show 'Real People, Real Lives' Or a completely random vicious attack

D.I. O'Connor and a new squad of detectives from Harcourt Street team up with criminal psychologist Dr Kate Pearson to profile the killer, in an attempt to narrow down the search. Two days later a second body is found in the canal, with no apparent links between the victims. Meanwhile recovering alcoholic Clodagh Hamilton attempts to unravel the mysteries of her past by visiting a hypnotherapist and 'speaking' to her childhood dolls. As Clodagh discovers more and more about her personal history, it soon becomes possible that there is a link between her and the recent violent deaths. . .

Reviews

A great read told at breakneck speed, cue sitting on the edge of your seat for 400 pages * BBC Radio Ulster on THE DOLL'S HOUSE *
A gripping, suspenseful story peopled with well-drawn characters * Irish Independent on THE DOLL'S HOUSE *
Chilling, mesmerising. Gets under your skin and stays with you * Niamh O'Connor on THE DOLL'S HOUSE *
A real page turner...Phillips' book is laced with tension and gradually builds to a thrilling finale * The Irish Post on THE DOLL'S HOUSE *
Every bit as good as her debut Red Ribbons, this time with much more of a slant towards a psychological thriller which fans of Sophie Hannah and SJ Watson will devour * Writing.ie on THE DOLL'S HOUSE *
Phillips doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of Dublin city...Her characters are well-crafted, the plot interesting and well-executed and, at the risk of sounding clich, a page turner. It's gritty and it's dark, but at the same time hopeful...A brilliant read. I devoured it * Emu Ink on THE DOLL'S HOUSE *
A cracker of a novel, highly recommended, a phenomenal debut * Arlene Hunt on RED RIBBONS *
An absolutely brilliant book...spine-tingling with loads of twists and turns. A debut novel from a great writer who will soon be up there with the likes of Patricia Cornwell * Stafford FM on RED RIBBONS *
The pace of this book is spot on, revealing information from the killer's past bit by bit to keep the reader turning the pages * Novelicious on RED RIBBONS *
Red Ribbons has been getting rave reviews, especially for the insight it offers into the emotions of a mother who has lost her child * Irish Mail on Sunday on RED RIBBONS *
Dark, spooky but believable * Irish Examiner on RED RIBBONS *
The pace is tight, the emotions piercing....significant and suspenseful. The clock is ticking, and there's reason to believe that destruction and abuse are multiplying....chilling criminal maneouvres subtly echo the evil that Stuart Neville taps into so readily * Kingdon Books, Vermont *
Pearson is developing into a strong series heroine, and her role as DI O'Connor's conscience demonstrates the trust and growing affection he has for the still-married shrink. A great blend of psychological suspense and cop drama * Booklist *

Author Bio

Born in Dublin, Louise Phillips returned to writing in 2006, after raising her family. That year, she was selected by Dermot Bolger as an emerging talent in the county. Louise's work has been published as part of many anthologies, including County Lines from New Island, and various literary journals. In 2009, she won the Jonathan Swift Award for her short story Last Kiss, and in 2011 she was a winner in the Irish Writers' Centre Lonely Voice platform. She has also been short-listed for the Molly Keane Memorial Award, Bridport UK, and long-listed twice for the RTE Guide/Penguin Short Story Competition. In 2012, she was awarded an Arts Bursary for Literature from South Dublin County Council. Her debut novel, Red Ribbons, was published in 2012. THE DOLL'S HOUSE is her second novel.