The Orphans

'Artful and beautifully ambiguous' Irish Independent

'Captivating and entertaining' RTE

Eight-year-old Jess and her little brother were playing at the water's edge when their parents vanished.

For hours the children held hands and waited for them to return. But nobody ever came back.

Years later, Jess has become a locker of doors. Now a lawyer and a mother, she is determined to protect the life she has built around her. But her brother Ro has grown unpredictable, elusive and obsessive.

When new evidence suggests that their mother might be alive, Ro reappears, convinced that his sister knows more than she claims.

And then bad things start to happen.

Praise for Siren:

"A nail-bitingly tense tale, with writing as sharp and pointed as arrows, where nobody is who they say they are ... she is definitely a writer to watch" (Claire Coughlan Sunday Independent)

"Siren by Annemarie Neary is a powerful study of guilt and redemption, and how the present can never outrun the past. A gripping thriller, told in deft and subtle prose, this is a masterful crime debut." (Stuart Neville, author of The Twelve)

"I loved Siren. Annemarie Neary's beautiful and crisp writing cuts to the bone, a rarity in psychological thrillers." (Claire Fuller, author of Our Endless Numbered Days)

"Siren is a brave and searing study of characters isolated and estranged from society for very different reasons. It is a beautifully written tale of how we can never escape our past no matter how much others might want us to do so. Gripping, riveting and full of suspense." (Liz Nugent, author of Lying in Wait)

"I was incredibly impressed with this debut, with its pitch perfect mix of extreme human emotions, combined with the resonance of history. Neary has achieved something really quite special. Highly recommended." (Raven Crime Reads)