The Therapy House
The Therapy House
by Julie Parsons
Winner of the Crime Fiction category in the BGE Irish Book Awards 2017
Garda Inspector Michael McLoughlin is trying to enjoy his retirement – doing a bit of PI work on the side, meeting up with former colleagues, fixing up a grand old house in a genteel Dublin suburb near the sea. Then he discovers the body of his neighbour, a retired judge – brutally murdered…
B-Format, Paperback | 354pp | ISBN: 9781848406919 | Release Date: May 2017
Garda Inspector Michael McLoughlin is trying to enjoy his retirement – doing a bit of PI work on the side, meeting up with former colleagues, fixing up a grand old house in a genteel Dublin suburb near the sea. Then he discovers the body of his neighbour, a retired judge – brutally murdered, shot through the back of the neck, his face mutilated beyond recognition. McLoughlin finds himself drawn into the murky past of the murdered judge, which leads him back to his own father’s killing, decades earlier, by the IRA. In seeking the truth behind both crimes, a web of deceit, blackmail and fragile reputations comes to light, as McLoughlin’s investigation reveals the explosive circumstances linking both crimes – and dark secrets are discovered which would destroy the judge’s legendary family name.
Reviews
“The Therapy House is clever, beautifully written and thoughtful...Parsons at her subtle, psychologically astute best. Well worth the wait.”
“The Therapy House, her first novel in nine years offers up a paean to her beloved home town...There is much to admire in this impressive return to form. Parsons writes crisply and there is a strong moral sensibility at work throughout, despite the extreme violence and the burgeoning body count....Ireland, like Dun Laoghaire, has had its problems but in virtuous McLoughlin, the wonderful Gwen and love interest Elizabeth, Parsons holds out a possibility of redemption.”
“Julie Parsons was Irish Crime Fiction before there was Irish Crime Fiction...Set against a vividly rendered Dún Laoghaire of crumbling old Victorian houses and smart seafront apartments, the action unfolds during a heatwave, proceeding inexorably and violently to a complex and immensely satisfying climax...In the form of a gripping thriller, Parsons has given us an incendiary analysis of our history of violence in all its hypocrisy, vainglory and denial.”
“Julie Parsons’s international legion of fans have had a long wait for her new novel...the wait was worth it...Her new novel shows her to be in cracking form as she re-introduces some characters from her previous mysteries - heroes and villains alike - and produces yet another page-turner.”
“ clever, complex...has a rhythm and power that lifts the reader along...reminded me at times of the great James Ellroy, as did the tortuous storyline, explosions of shocking violence and unflinching exploration of the black heart of humanity.”
Praise for Julie Parsons
“Julie Parsons takes the psychological suspense thriller to places it rarely dares to go...’ - The New York Times ‘A dark, compelling and original new voice.”
“She is one of those rare authors who can successfully combine psychological insight, literary style and heart stopping suspense.”
