This debut novel from Irish short story writer, Claire Gleeson, opens with one of the most arresting chapters I’ve ever read which had me instantly hooked. So much so, that I finished the book in a single sitting. Rachel is married to architect husband Tom. They have two small children, Rachel works in a Dublin hospital as a nurse and on the surface, life seems good. That is until a shocking event takes place one night which left this reader reeling.

As the pivotal event happens so early on in the book, I won’t describe too much more of the story in specifics. That would spoil the experience for you. Suffice to say that what follows is a beautifully crafted story of survival in the face of tragedy and the strength of the human spirit. The author deals with a range of very difficult topics in such a humane and sensitive manner which really impressed me. At times, it took my breath away. This is a book that will stay with you long after you’ve read it and I wish the author every success with her novel. A very worthy 5 star read.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder books for this arc in return for my honest review. ‘Show me where it hurts’ is published by Sceptre in April 2025.

What a book to read on the first day of a new year; this is a story about living after the unimaginable. This is Claire Gleeson's debut novel and hopefully it is the first of many (and I am not just saying that because I went to medical school with her!).. There are Irish authors I've read because I've felt I had to; here is an Irish author I've read because I fully wanted to and it was worth every throat catch and misty-eyed moment. The prose is concise with unexpected poetry laced through the page and there is something so very sympathetic about all the characters. It's clever, really, how it explore the way a horrifying act does not make someone into a villain.

Perhaps that is another reason why this is a great book to read in 2025; at a time when people are becoming more rigid about right and wrong, this book doesn't shy away from the grey areas of forgiveness and survival. The story is so compelling and, because it is told in both the past and the present, I luxuriated in not being able to predict how it was going to end (deeply satisfyingly, as it turned out) while also knowing the inevitability of past actions and seeing the red flags that are only ever obvious in retrospect.

So, my first review of the year (also hopefully the first of many) is a five star review, and no two ways about it.

TL;DR: A cleverly written book, with parallel timelines, about an unimaginable tragedy, due to an unfathomable decision, and what comes after.
Fully five stars out of five.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Such a powerful novel exploring how to survive after an event so tragic it's unexplainable.
The book is heartbreaking and yet a real page turner. I loved it.
Get the tissues handy though.

This opens with heartbreak, and then counts the time down to the event, and away from it.
You see how the situation occurred, and hoe you go about recovering from it.
If it doesn't leave you feeling a little emotional, there might be something wrong.
Beautifully written, with sensitive subjects handled very well.very very good.

This was a hauntingly tragic read, about how life goes on after unbearable loss. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but I really enjoyed the author’s style of writing. It’s written really sensitively and carefully around the difficult topics that the book covers. It was a great read.

A stunning novel which picks over the shattered remains of a young family after the split second action of Tom, husband of Rachel and father to their two children.
Told through two timelines, before and after, it's an unflinching account of mental illness and the lack of obvious signs when medication is, or isn't, being taken, as well as identifying when someone is close to breaking point.
The writing is lyrical and beautiful. I would love to share the passage where Rachel details what she has lost, but to do so would be a major spoiler.
A must read.

This is a must read and I am sure it going to be a book of the year for many.

It is an insight into a wife whose husband has done the unforgivable and how she copes through the trauma.

Mental illness is covered and the author has written a sensitive and enotional tale of how people cope through grief and unstability. How people manage when someone is at rock bottom and do they rise to the top after such a tragedy in their lives.

It's brilliant

This is a beautiful and visceral read. I tore through this emotional account of the after effects of a tragic incident. It's been written with such sensitivity and the characters are sharply drawn. I couldn't put this down and read it in a day. By the end I felt like the characters were entirely real. This is an exceptional piece of writing.

At the beginning of the story, I was stunned by the events on the page and wondered how painful this would be to read and whether it would be too much for me. However, there was something redemptive and beautiful about the book. It was heartbreaking in places but also had moments of hope and warmth that balanced this out.

I thought that the exploration of grief and mental illness was done in a realistic and credible way.

This is already destined to be one of the best books of 2025. Five stars aren't enough. This is an author who I'd gladly read more from.