Emily Hourican

Set in January 1965, A House in Winter tells the story of the visit of Princess Margaret and Lord Snowden to his sister's home in Abbeyleix, Ireland, when they faced local opposition and IRA petrol bomb attacks that confined them, without electricity, for 48 fraught hours. As well as the conflict outside the walls, there's plenty within, with Margaret's difficult mother in law gleefully contributing to her disintegrating marriage. Meanwhile in the nearby village local woman Cait has struggles of her own, unable to escape family responsibilities and small town life. Both Margaret and Cait are trapped by their circumstances in this gripping novel, based on fact, that reads as a marriage of The Crown and Maeve Binchy.

Set in January 1965, A House in Winter tells the story of the visit of Princess Margaret and Lord Snowden to his sister's home in Abbeyleix, Ireland, when they faced local opposition and IRA petrol bomb attacks that confined them, without electricity, for 48 fraught hours. As well as the conflict outside the walls, there's plenty within, with Margaret's difficult mother in law gleefully contributing to her disintegrating marriage. Meanwhile in the nearby village local woman Cait has struggles of her own, unable to escape family responsibilities and small town life. Both Margaret and Cait are trapped by their circumstances in this gripping novel, based on fact, that reads as a marriage of The Crown and Maeve Binchy.

Two girls who live in a hotel are drawn into a murder mystery in this charming, classic-feeling cosy-crime children's debut from bestselling Irish author Emily Hourican - perfect for fans of Murder Most Unladylike, The Swifts and Enid Blyton. Twelve-year-old Meredith and ten-year-old Macy feel like the luckiest girls around. The Ivy Hotel in Dublin is old, beautiful and beloved, with a tight-knit staff that feel like family, and they get to call it home. Meredith and Macy's mum is the General Manager, and their modest apartment is tucked away in a corner, but it has lots of perks. The girls make friends with long-term residents - like Colin, the quiet little boy who plays piano, and Agatha, the eccentric older lady who stays in a plush suite with her dog, Milo. The girls love spying on fancy events, sneaky treats from the restaurant and knowing all the secret stairs and corridors that guests never see, where the staff move around invisibly, making sure everything runs like clockwork... This is going to come in handy. Because within the cosy walls of the Ivy Hotel, there is also danger, intrigue and threat. Just as the hotel's new owners arrive, ready to sniff out any excuse to make cuts and fire staff, the girls are faced with their biggest task yet: a murder to solve. A welcoming and super-cosy hotel setting with a loveable cast of characters and a dash of danger, perfect for mystery fans age 9-12. Alternating perspectives from two brilliant sisters - responsible and emotional Meredith and fierce, logical Macy. Full of suspense, sleuthing and twisting discoveries, as the kids take the lead, working to cleverly uncover the identity of a mysterious guest and his even more mysterious death...

Two powerful families. A changing world.When Kathleen 'Kick' Kennedy left England to return to America, Europe was facing war and Billy Cavendish, future Duke of Devonshire and the man she loves, had told her he could never marry her. Now, in 1943, as London stands a shell of its former self, Kick returns hoping to reunite with Billy - but there are many obstacles ahead.Lady Brigid Guinness has swapped high fashion and exclusive dinner parties for long shifts as a nurse helping wounded soldiers, forming a close bond with one in particular. And yet the only person she can really talk to is a man shunned by her inner circle. Meanwhile, wide-eyed Sissy Maddington has arrived from Ireland under the care of the Guinness family. She's eager to explore everything London seems to offer - while she tries to forget where she came from.As the three women navigate a changed city, they each discover a capacity for love they never could have expected.But will they find the strength to stay true to themselves?Inspired by real events, A Kennedy Affair is a powerful story of friendship, forbidden passion - and how in the worst of times we can discover the best of each other.

Two powerful families. A changing world.'Hourican expertly weaves her elegant fictional magic' THE GLOSSLondon, 1943: Boston-native Kathleen 'Kick' Kennedy has returned to the city she loves, hoping to reunite with BillyCavendish, the man she wishes to marry. But with their parents forbidding the match, London a shell of its formerself following the Blitz, and Billy facing constant danger as an officer in the British Army, their future together looksanything but certain.Kick's friend Lady Brigid Guinness has swapped high fashion and exclusive dinner parties for long shifts as a nurse helping wounded soldiers. And, in secret, she writes letters to a man shunned by her inner circle.Meanwhile, wide-eyed Sissy Maddington has arrived from Ireland to visit the Guinness family, eager to exploreeverything London seems to offer, and hoping never to return home.As the three young women navigate an ever-changing city, they find themselves less sure than ever of what tomorrow will bring. Is the key to happiness leaving behind the worlds they came from, and the people in them? Or is happiness even possible, with all that lies ahead?Praise for Emily Hourican's novels:'A gloriously good read' Sunday Independent'An absolute page-turner' Irish Independent

'Perfect for fans of The Crown and Downton Abbey ' Hazel Gaynor, bestselling author of The Last Lifeboat'A breathtaking, glamorous and escapist read' Irish TimesLondon 1938: Daughter of the US ambassador, Kathleen 'Kick' Kennedy is a huge hit in society's most elite circles, though she isn't always sure she fits in. While Kick is falling for duke-in-waiting Billy Cavendish, a man her parents will never let her marry, across the city Lady Brigid Guinness has no interest in love or society connections. But her ambitious brother-in-law has other ideas and seems determined to engineer a match with a German prince.When they are invited to an exclusive gathering at a country estate, the young women soon form an unlikely friendship: the stuck-up aristocrat and the brash American. Then Billy and Prince Fritzi join the party, and tensions rise as Kick and Brigid discover that beneath the group's façade of politeness, nothing is as it seems.As the days at Kelvedon Hall pass in a haze of sunshine, secrecy and surprising revelations, Kick and Brigid beginto rethink their hopes and plans for the future. Do they still want what they once did? And with the world aroundthem constantly shifting, as war in Europe looms, will they ever be able to have it?

Page-turning historical fiction from the bestselling author of the Guinness Girls series

'A gloriously good read' Sunday Independent LIFESURROUNDED BY WEALTH, GLAMOUR AND EXCITEMENTLady Honor Guinness is a reluctant wallflower. But that all changes when she marries Henry 'Chips' Channon, a charming and ambitious American. On his arm, she finds herself at the heart of 1930s London's most elite social circles, mingling with aristocrats, politicians and royalty. But it's not too long before Chips begins toprioritise his aspirations over all else, and Honor begins to wonder who exactly she has married.By her side is her best friend Doris, a young woman eager to establish her place in society. A social butterfly who keeps the details of her family background to herself, Doris is hopeful her beauty and charm will win her a suitable husband, but she has no interest in a romantic attachment. Until she is introduced to 'the most devastating man in London'.Inspired by true-life events, The Other Guinness Girl: A Question of Honor is an elegant, captivating story of two young women navigating friendship, loneliness, love and desire as they try to find their places in a society where the rules seem to change every moment.PRAISE FOR THE GUINNESS GIRLS NOVELS'Utterly captivating ... an absolute page-turner' IRISH INDEPENDENT'Masterfully and glamorously told' SUNDAY BUSINESS POST'Fans of Downton Abbey will adore this' SUNDAY TIMES

The dazzling new bestseller charting the lives of one of Ireland's most fascinating families

'Glorious! Glamorous, feisty women living through shifting times. Wonderful escapism' TRACY REESFrom the top ten bestselling author of The Glorious Guinness Girls, a stunning new novel of secrets, scandals and passions which follows the three enigmatic Guinness sisters, set in Ireland and London in the fascinating 1930s. 'An utterly captivating insight into these fascinating women and the times they lived in ... it's an absolute page-turner' Irish Independent 'Fans of Downton Abbey will adore this, and it would be surprising if the book weren't made into a luscious mini-series' The Sunday Times on The Glorious Guinness GirlsAs Aileen, Maureen and Oonagh - the three privileged Guinness sisters, darlings of society in Dublin and London - settle into becoming wives and mothers, they quickly discover that their gilded upbringing could not have prepared them for the realities of married life.For the eldest, Aileen, in Luttrellstown Castle outside Dublin, being married offers far less than she had expected;for outspoken Maureen, in the crumbling Clandeboye in Northern Ireland, marriage means intense passion, but fiercerows; while Oonagh's dream of romantic love in London is shattered by her husband's lies.And as 1930s Britain becomes increasingly politically polarised, the sisters' close friends, the Mitfords, find themselves under the media glare - causing the Guinness women to examine their own lives.Inspired by true-life events, The Guinness Girls: A Hint of Scandal is a sweeping, epic novel of Ireland and Britain in the grip of change, and a story of how three women who wanted for nothing were about to learn that they couldn't have everything.Praise for The Glorious Guinness Girls:'If, like me, you have binge-watched Bridgerton then this book is bound to be your cup of tea' Scribbles by Kat'A captivating and page-turning novel about a fascinating family. Fantastic' Sinéad Moriarty'The Glorious Guinness Girls has already been compared, and rightly so, to Downton Abbey. The two share a delicious comfort-blanket quality, only in the book's case, you do not need to wait until Sunday evenings before availing of its escapist properties. The story combines the intimacy of a family drama, set against the most opulent of backdrops, with sweeping historical themes. The tragic fragility of so many of the Guinness Girls' set - that ability to burn bright, but burn fast, is perfectly captured here' Irish Independent'A must for all Downton Abbey fans, The Glorious Guinness Girls is a gorgeous book, a captivating tale about a young girl caught up in the lifestyle of a family that continues to fascinate - the Guinness Family. A joy to read' Swirl and Thread

'Glorious! Glamorous, feisty women living through shifting times. Wonderful escapism' TRACY REESFrom the top ten bestselling author of The Glorious Guinness Girls, a stunning new novel of secrets, scandals and passions which follows the three enigmatic Guinness sisters, set in Ireland and London in the fascinating 1930s. 'An utterly captivating insight into these fascinating women and the times they lived in ... it's an absolute page-turner' Irish Independent 'Fans of Downton Abbey will adore this, and it would be surprising if the book weren't made into a luscious mini-series' The Sunday Times on The Glorious Guinness GirlsIt's the dawn of the 1930s and the three privileged Guinness sisters, Aileen, Maureen and Oonagh, settle into becoming wives and mothers: Aileen in Luttrellstown Castle outside Dublin, Maureen in Clandeboye in Northern Ireland, and Oonagh in Rutland Place in London.But while Britain becomes increasingly politically polarised, Aileen, Maureen and Oonagh discover conflict within their own marriages. Oonagh's dream of romantic love is countered by her husband's lies; the intense nature of Maureen's marriage means passion, but also rows; while Aileen begins to discover that, for her, being married offers far less than she had expected.Meanwhile, Kathleen, a housemaid from their childhood home in Glenmaroon, travels between the three sisters, helping, listening, watching - even as her own life brings her into conflict with the clash between fascism and communism.As affairs are uncovered and secrets exposed, the three women begin to realise that their guiled upbringing could not have prepared them for the realities of married life, nor for the scandals that seem to follow them around.Praise for The Glorious Guinness Girls:'If, like me, you have binge-watched Bridgerton then this book is bound to be your cup of tea' Scribbles by Kat'A captivating and page-turning novel about a fascinating family. Fantastic' Sinéad Moriarty'The Glorious Guinness Girls has already been compared, and rightly so, to Downton Abbey. The two share a delicious comfort-blanket quality, only in the book's case, you do not need to wait until Sunday evenings before availing of its escapist properties. The story combines the intimacy of a family drama, set against the most opulent of backdrops, with sweeping historical themes. The tragic fragility of so many of the Guinness Girls' set - that ability to burn bright, but burn fast, is perfectly captured here' Irish Independent'A must for all Downton Abbey fans, The Glorious Guinness Girls is a gorgeous book, a captivating tale about a young girl caught up in the lifestyle of a family that continues to fascinate - the Guinness Family. A joy to read' Swirl and Thread

Following the bestselling success of The Glorious Guinness Girls, comes a stunning new novel following the three enigmatic sisters as they set out on married life.

From London to Ireland in 1920s, a glorious, gripping, moving and richly textured novel which takes us to the heart of the remarkable real-life story of the Guinness Girls.

From London to Ireland during the 1920s, this glorious, gripping, and richly textured story takes us to the heart of the remarkable real-life story of the Guinness Girls--perfect for fans of Downton Abbey and Julian Fellowes' Belgravia. Descendants of the founder of the Guinness beer empire, they were the toast of 1920s high society, darlings of the press, with not a care in the world. But Felicity knows better. Sent to live with them as a child because her mother could no longer care for her, she grows up as the sisters' companion. Both an outsider and a part of the family, she witnesses the complex lives upstairs and downstairs, sees the compromises and sacrifices beneath the glamorous surface. Then, at a party one summer's evening, something happens that sends shock waves through the entire household. Inspired by a remarkable true story and fascinating real events, The Glorious Guinness Girls is an unforgettable novel about the haves and have-nots, one that will make you ask if where you find yourself is where you truly belong.

'A brilliant blend of sweeping satisfying family drama with a tense undercurrent of psychological thriller that hooks on and doesn't let go until [Hourican] delivers her last devastating page' Sunday Independent'The Outsider is everything you could want from high-end commercial fiction - it's sharp, compelling, and full of keenly observed truths about human behaviour. Emily Hourican has always been an insightful, astute writer but this may be her best novel yet.' Louise O'NeillTwo very different families ... One is loud, eccentric, rich and confident. The other is less sure of their place in life. On holidays in Portugal, a near-drowning brings the ten-year-old daughters, Jamie and Sarah, together and a friendship is formed. As the bond between the girls grows deeper, so too do the ties between their families and an unsettling closeness develops between two of the adults. Then, as Jamie begins to feel suffocated by the intensity of Sarah's friendship, cracks begin to show. What will it take to shatter the façade of friendship? The affair? The obsessive crush? And which family will be left whole? The Outsider is the compelling and unforgettable story of the complexity of friendship, marriage, hidden passions and teenage desire.

'A brilliant blend of sweeping satisfying family drama with a tense undercurrent of psychological thriller that hooks on and doesn't let go until [Hourican] delivers her last devastating page' Sunday Independent'The Outsider is everything you could want from high-end commercial fiction - it's sharp, compelling, and full of keenly observed truths about human behaviour. Emily Hourican has always been an insightful, astute writer but this may be her best novel yet.' Louise O'NeillTwo very different families ... One is loud, eccentric, rich and confident. The other is less sure of their place in life. On holidays in Portugal, a near-drowning brings the ten-year-old daughters, Jamie and Sarah, together and a friendship is formed. As the bond between the girls grows deeper, so too do the ties between their families and an unsettling closeness develops between two of the adults. Then, as Jamie begins to feel suffocated by the intensity of Sarah's friendship, cracks begin to show. What will it take to shatter the façade of friendship? The affair? The obsessive crush? And which family will be left whole? The Outsider is the compelling and unforgettable story of the complexity of friendship, marriage, hidden passions and teenage desire.

'Insightful and astute writing ... Emily Hourican has a wonderful understanding of human nature' Louise O'NeillThe summer she turned twenty-five, Anna felt invincible.In love for the first time, in a strange city far from home, she could be a new person. All that she had ever wanted was there for the taking. But the glorious possibility of those long sultry days ended in a reality far starker than she could have imagined.Now, fifteen years later, Anna is struggling to get through to her teenage daughter Jessie -- named in memory of Anna's best friend -- who has developed an eating disorder. Mother and daughter were once close, but now Anna feels as if Jessie's every word and action is a mystery. Though sometimes she wonders if Jessie can see right through her.And when her daughter starts to report dreams about the namesake she never met, Anna -- increasingly unnerved by just how much her daughter seems to know -- is forced to face the secrets of that summer when her life changed in one unravelling moment, and the brutal truth about the part she had to play.

What happens when you invite an outsider in?It was supposed to be the holiday of a lifetime - a luxury villa in Ibiza, a group of university friends, and their last chance to cut loose before embarking on their serious adult lives. But when when one of the group invites an outsider, the aloof and beautiful Natasha, tensions begin to simmer.The days pass amid the sweltering rays, and dissolve into wild, humid nights. And Natasha seems bent upon a path of destruction, leading her to Jennifer's boyfriend, Todd - while Jennifer and the rest of the group look on . . .Then, one hazy afternoon, paradise is shattered.Ten years later, the friends reunite. Will what happened that afternoon at White Villa now destroy the lives and facades they have so carefully built?