Wild houses

11.98

As Ballina prepares for its biggest weekend of the year, the simmering feud between small-time dealer, Cillian English, and County Mayo’s fraternal enforcers, Gabe and Sketch Ferdia, spills over into violence and an ugly ultimatum. When the reclusive Dev answers his door on Friday night he finds Doll – Cillian’s bruised, sullen, teenage brother – in the clutches of Gabe and Sketch. Jostled by his nefarious cousins, goaded by his dead mother’s dog and struck by spinning lights, Dev is unwillingly drawn headlong into the Ferdias’ revenge fantasy. Meanwhile, seventeen-year-old Nicky can’t shake the feeling something bad has happened to her boyfriend Doll. Hungover, reeling from a fractious Friday night and plagued by ghosts of her own, Nicky sets out on a feverish mission to save Doll, even as she questions her future in Ballina.

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**LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2024**
**SHORTLISTED FOR THE NERO BOOK AWARDS DEBUT FICTION AWARD 2024**

'Beautiful?brings to life an entire world' SALLY ROONEY
'Sublime? A thrillingly moreish novel' SUNDAY TIMES
*
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
*
'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

Additional information

Weight192 g
Dimensions19.6 × 12.8 × 2.4 cm
Book_author

Barrett, Colin

Publisher

VINTAGE

Imprint

Vintage

Cover

Paperback

Pages

288

Language

English

Edition

1st paperback ed

Dewey

823.92 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K