Wild Houses
As seen:
By Colin Barrett
avg rating
1 review
LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2024
WINNER OF THE NERO BOOK AWARDS DEBUT FICTION AWARD 2024
‘Beautiful…brings to life an entire world’ SALLY ROONEY
‘Sublime… A thrillingly moreish novel’ SUNDAY TIMES
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It’s the biggest weekend of the year and everything is about to change – the thrilling debut novel from the prize-winning author.
In Ballina, the simmering feud between small-time drug-dealer Cillian English and County Mayo’s enforcers, Gabe and Sketch Ferdia, spills over into violence and an ugly ultimatum. Soon the reclusive Dev and Cillian’s teenage brother Doll are drawn headlong into the Ferdias’ revenge fantasy. Meanwhile, Doll’s girlfriend Nicky sets out on a feverish mission to save him.
Life in this ordinary town will never be the same again…
AN OBSERVER BEST DEBUT NOVELIST
SHORTLISTED FOR IRISH BOOK AWARDS NOVEL OF THE YEAR
LONGLISTED FOR THE DUBLIN LITERARY AWARD 2025
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‘A whole world is captured for the reader’ COLM TÓIBÍN
‘As sharp, funny and bitingly bittersweet as life’ BOOKER JUDGES, 2024
‘A gift of true storytelling’ ANNE ENRIGHT
‘A heartbreaker of a debut’ NEW YORK TIMES
A BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR THE GUARDIAN, OBSERVER AND DAZED DIGITAL
TweetReviews
A superbly well written and thoroughly enjoyable ripping yarn of drug dealers in small town Ireland. Yes, they're mean and violent but Colin Barrett has such a deft touchhe manages to also make them pitiful figures of fun. There is so much warm humour in the book that the hapless crooks are almost likeable. What a great read!
