Clare O’Mahony
Manager, O’Mahony’s Booksellers
Among Friends
By Hal Ebbott (Picador)
A book about the intimacies of lifelong friendships and the effect they can have on the families involved. A beautiful read, with moments where the words simply burst forth from the page.
The Night I Killed Him
By Gill Perdue (Sandycove)
The story is about Gemma, an influencer, whose beloved brother’s body washes up on the beach after 18 years. Gemma has an amazing lifestyle and plenty of followers, but not all is as it seems. It is a gripping story with a very unexpected ending.
The In-Laws
By Sinéad Moriarty (Sandycove)
A story about a big family and an impossible mother-in-law. Three sisters-in-law each try to find their place in the family, navigating different paths within their own homes while staying devoted to their husbands. Funny, sassy and engaging, it is a laugh-out-loud story that will feel familiar to some families.
The Lie of the Land: A Game Plan for Ireland in the Climate Crisis
By John Gibbons (Sandycove)
A powerful exposé of the myths surrounding Ireland’s green image. John Gibbons reveals how agriculture and weak climate policy are driving ecological collapse, while making a compelling call for urgent change.
RM Block
Both insightful and highly educational, it will prompt readers to think deeply about Ireland’s future.
O’Mahony’s Booksellers are located in Limerick, Ennis, Tralee, Galway, and at omahonys.ie
Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin (aka Sam Blake)
Novelist, literary consultant, and founder of writing.ie
The Death of Us
By Abigail Dean (Hemlock)
This is a book you will not forget; a thriller that cracks open the lives of characters dealing with trauma. The story of the aftermath of a home invasion by a man who turns out to be a killer, Isabel and Edward finally tell each other what happened that night. Taut, gripping, not a word wasted. Sensational.
Orbital
By Samantha Harvey (Vintage)
There is something beautiful about small books, stories that are perfectly formed yet through the beauty of language open a new, vast world to the reader. Orbital is just that. Samantha Harvey has a unique ability with words that brings us the sound of a metronome in their pattern, and takes us into the vast expanse of space. A worthy Booker Prize winner, keep it close and you will reread it countless times.
Paper Heart
By Cecelia Ahern (HarperCollins)
Ahern has a gift for bringing ordinary, relatable characters to the page and making them extraordinary and unforgettable. In Paper Heart we meet Pip whose world is very small, tightly folded like the origami she creates alone. When she meets an astronomer, that world begins to open up into a universe. Karin Slaughter said: “My heart grows a bit bigger each time I read a Cecelia Ahern book.” Mine does too.
Your Every Move (Corvus) by Sam Blake comes out January 2026
Nuala O’Connor
Novelist and poet
The Dead
By James Joyce (New Island Books)
The Christmas season is never complete for me without a reread of James Joyce’s iconic short story, The Dead. This year, New Island is releasing a gorgeous stand-alone edition of what is widely considered the greatest short story ever written in the English language. I was beyond thrilled to be asked to write the introduction, and I enjoyed looking at Joyce’s tender, wintry tale through the eyes of the women in his life. Beautifully presented, The Dead is the perfect gift for just about anyone.
Nuala O’Connor’s latest poetry collection is Menagerie (Arlen House)
Katy Conneely
Host of All About Books on Dublin City FM
Gratefully and Affectionately: Mary Lavin and the New Yorker
By Gráinne Hurley (New Island)
Between 1958 and 1976, Irish American writer Mary Lavin published 16 stories in The New Yorker. Her success was helped in part by her close and deeply collaborative relationship with editor Rachel MacKenzie. They wrote more than 400 letters to each other throughout their lives. Gráinne draws on this correspondence to illuminate Lavin’s writing process, The New Yorker’s editorial culture, and the literary world of the time. A fascinating insight into their professional and personal relationship and the work of Mary Lavin.
To Avenge a Dead Glacier
By Shane Tivenan (The Lilliput Press)
William Trevor famously referred to the craft of short fiction as “the art of the glimpse”. In this wonderful debut collection Shane Tivenan provides us with 10 such satisfying glimpses into 10 deftly painted worlds that, together, somehow seem to add to more than the sum of their parts. At once moving, funny and thought provoking, it’s a collection that left me in tears on more than one occasion. Resurrection of a Corncrake was a particular favourite. I’ll be revisiting these stories for years to come.
The Language of Remembering
By Patrick Holloway (époque press)
Oisín returns home to Ireland from Brazil to rebuild his life and reconnect with his mother, Brigid, who has early onset Alzheimer’s. As her condition deteriorates she starts to speak Irish, the language of her youth, and reflect on her childhood dreams and aspirations. With the story told over two timelines and through flashbacks, it’s completely engrossing and one you won’t be able to put down. A beautiful story exploring family, love, and the importance of connection with other people to survive.
All About Books airs on Thursday afternoons at 2:30pm, on Dublin City FM
Joseph Murray (aka JF Murray)
Novelist and booktokker
Holiday Romance
By Catherine Walsh (Bookouture)
My top Christmas book choice is easily Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh. With chaotic snowstorms, squabbling siblings and a sweet When Harry Met Sally-style romance, romcom lovers will adore this charming tale of two best friends rushing to get back for the big day. I read this on Kindle last Christmas and it’s out in paperback now. Just in time to be the perfect gift for Christmas 2025. Highly recommend.
JF Murray’s latest novel is Hitched (Pan Macmillan)
Sara Phelan
Manager, Chapters Bookstore, Dublin
The Dublin Pub
By Donal Fallon (New Island)
Donal shares his passion so generously in this richly illustrated and engaging journey through the city’s beloved pubs, past and present. A must read for anybody who loves Dublin, Irish history or the unique culture and spirit of the Irish pub.
The Elements
By John Boyne (Doubleday)
This masterful tapestry combines four interconnected novellas shaped by the elemental forces of water, earth, fire and air. With extraordinary empathy and gripping storytelling, Boyne delivers a profound exploration of guilt, resilience and the ties that bind us all.
Chapters bookstore can be found on Parnell Street, Dublin, and at chaptersbookstore.com
Molly Aitken
Novelist
Ireland’s Trees: Myths, Legends, and Folklore
By Niall Mac Coitir (The Collins Press)
This is a bedside companion that is easy to dip in and out of. There is a whole gorgeously illustrated series focusing on flowers, birds and animals. They are not just for nature lovers but for those who have an interest in storytelling and the history of Ireland. It also gives you licence to smugly name and tell stories about trees that sadly many of us have lost our connection to.
A History of Women in 101 Objects
By Annabelle Hirsch (Canongate)
This is a treasure hunt of a book. It is for the art history lovers, collectors, travellers and feminists in your life. It celebrates the everyday intimate objects of women, featuring everything from a Lilith amulet to, of course, Chanel No 5. It also makes for a great coffee-table book with its bold red cover.
Molly Aitken’s latest novel is Bright I Burn (Canongate)
