Trespasses

Set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, a shattering novel about a young woman caught between allegiance to community and a dangerous passion.

Amid daily reports of violence, Cushla lives a quiet life with her mother in a small town near Belfast, teaching at a parochial school and moonlighting at her family’s pub. There she meets Michael Agnew, a Protestant barrister who’s made a name for himself defending IRA members. Against her better judgment, Cushla lets herself get drawn in by him and his sophisticated world, and an affair ignites. Then the father of a student is savagely beaten, setting in motion a chain reaction that will threaten everything, and everyone, Cushla most wants to protect.

About the author

Louise Kennedy grew up near Belfast. She has written for The Guardian, The Irish Times, and BBC Radio 4, and she is also the author of a collection of short stories, The End of the World Is a Cul de Sac. Before becoming a writer, she worked as a chef for almost thirty years. She lives in Sligo, Ireland.