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The Mystery of Mercy Close

From the author of the 2023 Sunday Times bestseller Again, Rachel

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The Mystery of Mercy Close

By: Marian Keyes
Narrated by: Niamh Daly
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About this listen

The unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Marian Keye's heartbreaking stunner of a novel, The Mystery of Mercy Close, read by the actress Niamh Daly.

Helen Walsh doesn't believe in fear - it's just a thing invented by men to get all the money and good jobs - and yet she's sinking. Her work as a Private Investigator has dried up, her flat has been repossessed and now some old demons have resurfaced.

Not least in the form of her charming but dodgy ex-boyfriend Jay Parker, who shows up with a missing persons case. Money is tight and Jay is awash with cash, so Helen is forced to take on the task of finding Wayne Diffney, the 'Wacky One' from boyband Laddz.

Things ended messily with Jay. And she's never going back there. Besides she has a new boyfriend now, the very sexy detective Artie Devlin and it's all going well. But the reappearance of Jay is stirring up all kinds of stuff she thought she'd left behind.

Playing by her own rules, Helen is drawn into a dark and glamorous world, where her worst enemy is her own head and where increasingly the only person she feels connected to is Wayne, a man she's never even met.

Utterly compelling, moving and very very funny, The Mystery of Mercy Close is unlike any novel you've ever read and Helen Walsh - courageous, vulnerable and wasp-tongued - is the perfect heroine for our times.

Praise for Marian Keyes:

'When it comes to writing page-turners that put a smile on your face and make you think, Keyes is in a class of her own' Daily Express

'Zips along with engaging characters, fabulous plotting and spot-on dialogue. Marian Keyes: what a genius' Daily Mail

Marian Keyes' international bestselling novels include Rachel's Holiday, Last Chance Saloon, Sushi for Beginners, Angels, The Other Side of the Story, Anybody Out There, This Charming Man and The Brightest Star in the Sky. Two collections of her journalism, Under the Duvet and Further Under the Duvet, are also available from Penguin.

Contemporary Contemporary Romance Detective Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Mystery Romance Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Comedy Funny Heartfelt Witty Suspense

Critic reviews

The Mystery of Mercy Close is the tale of strong and sassy but vulnerable, private detective Helen Walsh who is looking for a missing person - but can she find him before she loses herself?

'I have a habit of taking instant dislikes to people. Simply because it saves time . . .'

When it comes to writing page-turners that put a smile on your face and make you think, Keyes is in a class of her own
Zips along with engaging characters, fabulous plotting and spot-on dialogue. Marian Keyes: what a genius
All stars
Most relevant
As usual with all Marian Keyes books this is a mixture of poignancy and humour. The exploration of depression was excellent and realistic. It was also fabulous to catch up with the Walsh family again.

As good as always

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I found it hard going at first and couldn’t get In to the narrators voicebut as the storyline unfolded, her voice matched the character perfectly and I really warmed to her. It’s the first Marian Keys book I’ve listened to so will definitely go and find more now.

Glad I persisted

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I particularly like this addition to the Walsh family story. Nothing in the other books about the Walshes gives any indication as to the complexities of Helen’s character which makes this book even more interesting and enjoyable. Helen is very believable as both a formidable woman and a woman trying to hide and control her inner demons. The supporting cast of characters are well developed and consistent, with none of them superfluous to the story. The narration wasn’t as good as others who have narrated Marian’s books but some of them are very hard acts to follow. Because of the narration, I preferred the written version to the audio book.

Both entertaining and thought provoking.

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Wasn't the best of Keyes. Protagonist difficult to bond with. Worth listening nevertheless. Good overall.

Worth a listen but disappointing

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I love Marian Keyes' book's. This is me first listening to one, I loved it.

loved it

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