Jean Grainger

"Berlin, 1944. Ariella Bannon is being hunted. Someone is determined to betray her, but she has survived against incredible odds, and the end is in sight. She will be reunited with her precious children, no matter what it takes. Meanwhile, Liesl and Erich have found a home in Ireland away from the chaos of war-ravaged Europe. As the dark news of what has happened to their fellow Jews filters through, they are torn--love for their mother and their...

"Dublin 1950. Liesl Bannon has never felt like she was truly at home anywhere, not since her mother placed her and her brother Erich on the last Kindertransport out of Berlin in 1939. She'd been so much more fortunate than most Jews, saved from the horrors of the Nazi regime. Being adopted by Elizabeth and Daniel Lieber meant she and Erich spent the war in Northern Ireland, safe and loved, but Liesl always knew something was missing. When an opportunity...

Robinswood, Co Waterford, 1939. The once grand house is home to two very different families. Despite delusions of grandeur, Lord and Lady Kenefick and their adult children live a life of decayed opulence as the money needed to keep such a large house and grounds ever dwindles. Meanwhile, the Murphy family, Dermot, Isabella and their three almost grown-up girls, live and work on the estate and do their best to keep everything running smoothly. Social...

"My 12 year old daughter frequently moans that BallyCarrick is the most boring town in Ireland. Nothing ever happens here. She's right. And as the local police sergeant, this is something I'm delighted about. I've enough to worry about--the polar ice-caps, the evil monster that's shrinking my trousers, not to mention the hot flushes--without having to be like one of those gritty Netflix cops, chasing criminals down alleyways and busting drug deals....

Dublin, Ireland and Valencia, Spain 1917. Peter Cullen has no money and no prospects, but he has talent and the will to succeed. All he needs now is luck. May Gallagher is determined to make her own way in life, even if it means defying her parents' plans for her. Nick Gerrity is ready to turn his back on his past and start anew, but his secrets might just catch up with him. And Aida Gonzales, destitute and alone, discovers an unexpected lifeline...

In A Beautiful Ferocity, the second instalment of the Cullen's Celtic Cabaret Series, we're taken on a thrilling ride through the Roaring Twenties as Ireland fights for her freedom. Peter Cullen leads his troupe of eclectic performers through the troubled country, in a daring new direction, entertaining audiences who've had enough of the old ways. When their cabaret is threatened, the performers must fight to keep their dream alive, treading the dangerous...

Set against the backdrop of a relentless war for Ireland's freedom, the stakes are higher than ever for Peter Cullen and his troupe as they try to stay out of the conflict. But as they soon discover, that's a luxury nobody can afford. As well as fighting the forces of occupation, some people are using this time of chaos to settle old scores, and it seems the cabaret has gathered some sinister enemies. With danger lurking around every corner, Peter...

Queenstown, County Cork, Ireland. April 1916. Sixteen-year-old Harp Devereaux is growing up in a country in turmoil. Her mother Rose is struggling to navigate single parenthood, run the Cliff House, and stay out of the way of the authorities. Harp's uncle, Ralph Devereaux, has only one thing on his mind. The port of Queenstown bustles with activity as people traverse the Atlantic either in search of new lives on foreign shores or returning to old...

Queenstown, County Cork, Ireland. April 1912. Twelve-year-old Harp Delaney is an unusual child, quiet and intelligent far beyond her years. She would rather spend her days in the library of the grand Georgian house that she sees as her home than playing on the streets with other children. Her mother, Rose, is the reserved and ladylike housekeeper at the Cliff House. The local women envy her grace and poise while the men admire her beauty. She behaves...

There are some days when being the Garda Sergeant of a small Irish town really tests me. Having to police my family and friends is a necessary evil, but when I'm faced with arresting half the children in the town, and discovering someone close to me among the offenders, well, those days I really wish I'd chosen a different career.