Iris bent down to touch the ground that had so recently been pulled back. The damp of the earth clawed out whatever warmth was in her, so her heart clenched just a little more in her chest.
There were so many things she probably should be doing, but Iris felt as if someone had stopped winding the hands to her heart that terrible night. It didn’t seem to matter where she was, here or at the hospital with the woman who had been her mother for almost thirty years – she was numb. She couldn’t stay in her apartment any more and so she’d taken a place in a nearby guesthouse where the other lodgers were mostly foreign students. Her room was basic, dated, wearing the stamp of someone else’s taste, a strangers’ history permeating its every fibre. It was a study in beige, so neutral that it didn’t even register with Iris.
Early days. That was what Coleman Grady said when he called her. Even Slattery had been in touch. He caught up with her, spent an awkward half hour sharing a pot of weak tea neither of them wanted, but he left her with the feeling that somehow she was not alone.
She thought about Theodora again. Lying pathetic and afraid in a hospital bed. What will happen to me? she had asked with huge tear-filled eyes.
Indeed, Iris had thought, what will happen to all of us? Her phone buzzed in her pocket, she took it out, annoyed that it interrupted the thoughts that she knew would continue to swirl about her brain regardless.
‘Come in to Corbally, just for a few hours, we need you, Iris,’ Grady said again. Of course, she knew, they didn’t need her at all.
‘I’ll see,’ she lied. She wondered which was worse, to feel she wasn’t wanted, because they thought she wasn’t there on merit or to be wanted because they feared that left alone there was no telling what might become of her.
‘Don’t see. Just come back, it’s not going to do you any good, thinking about it over and over…’ His voice petered off and then, as though a whisper, ‘I know what I’m talking about from experience.’
‘Oh.’ The word escaped her before she had a chance to pull it back. ‘Anyway, I’m not sure that I can…’ There again, that feeling that she hadn’t earned her place.
‘There’s a vacancy, on the Murder Team…’
‘Who’s gone?’ That’s how it worked, she wasn’t stupid, there were only so many desks, so much in the pay budget, new posts weren’t just created out of thin air or pity.
‘Me,’ he said, but there was a lilt to his voice.
‘No.’ She couldn’t imagine working Murder in Corbally without Coleman Grady.
‘Well, Anita Cullen’s not going to come back, so I’m working something out with Byrne… for now, at least,’ he said. ‘Come back, Iris, we really do need you here.’ His voice was thick and hoarse and she wondered if he might be about to cry.
‘I’ll… call in tomorrow.’ It was the best she could do. Night was falling in around Woodburn and she thought she could feel the years of laughter lap mockingly against her skin on the breeze. This wasn’t her home any more. She wasn’t even sure if she was entitled to those memories when she thought of that poor innocent baby forgotten in the ground beneath their feet for all those years. ‘Yes, I’ll call in tomorrow,’ she said softly in the breeze, perhaps like Slattery, Grady and June, the Murder Team was welcoming her home when she needed family about her. Yes, perhaps Corbally was where she belonged now.
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Books by Geraldine Hogan
Silent Night
A Letter From Geraldine
Dear Reader,
I just wanted to say a huge thank you for choosing to read Silent Night, the first book in the new Corbally Crime series. If you did enjoy it, and want to keep up to date with all my latest releases, just sign up at the following link. Your email address will never be shared, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Sign up here!
I’ve been so looking forward to introducing you to Iris and Slattery and as you might imagine, there are many more stories waiting to unfold around this pair. Already, as I write this note to you, book two is about to wing its way to my editor and I promise, it’s as full of twists and turns as this one, but also filled with familiar faces from Corbally who are continuing to fight the good fight – even if some of them seem to be a bit misguided at times!
The next book follows Iris as she tries to patch together what remains of her life after the explosive end of this story; Slattery is finding his way too, except he’s back-pedalling around a wife who may need him, but certainly doesn’t want to admit it. And overlaying all of this, a murder that looks as if it might be solved already, except no one wants a missing vulnerable girl to be their killer.
I count myself very lucky each day I sit at my computer and call myself an author. It really is living the dream as far as I’m concerned. I’ve always adored books, reading stories and making them up. And there’s nothing nicer than hearing back from readers. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this story, so if you have time, please do post a short review or share it on social media. I’m always up for a bookish chat on Twitter: or find me on Instagram or Facebook. There’s something very moving about reading a review that really ‘gets’ a book!
If you enjoyed this book and you want to keep an eye on what I’m up to next, you can follow me on Amazon or check out my website www.geraldine-hogan.com where I’ll let you in on what’s going on in my world of books!
Thanks so much again, until next time,
Happy Reading,
Geraldine Hogan
www.geraldine-hogan.com
Acknowledgements
Every author, when they start out, dreams of writing their acknowledgements at the back of their precious story – it is like reaching a special milestone somehow, as if finally, all the words are written and the work is complete.
Of course, as you read this, my place in this story is now nearing an end and I’m handing it over to you, to make of it what you will – but hopefully enjoy it and maybe recommend it to someone else!
The funny thing about writing a book is that even when you think it’s finished, there’s always something else and this is very true with Silent Night.
In becoming the story in your hands today, I want to thank most sincerely the following people.
First, Abigail Fenton who saw within my manuscript the story it could become. It is thanks to Abi that this book has taken shape and landed in a very happy home at Bookouture. I am so grateful for your guidance and keen eye and for championing my book when you came across it!
It was my very good fortune to be placed in the hands of Lydia Vassar-Smith with this book. Lydia, you are a legend and you’ll never know how much that first email with the cover really touched me, thank you for putting in so much thought, energy and genius on my behalf!
Speaking of Bookouture – there are so many people who have not only made me feel very welcome, but also who have helped enormously in bringing this story to life. My thanks to Jon Appleton, Leodora Darlington, Lauren Finger and Alexandra Holmes for their editing skills and to publicists, Kim Nash and Noelle Holten for shouting about it from the rooftops!
I count myself as very lucky to be a J girl – thanks to Judith Murdoch, my agent who is kind, witty, savvy and very, very wise!
I would also like to give a mention here to Russell D McLean, Lesley McDowell and Jane Jakeman – all of whom gave me encouragement and expert advice on the journey to publication of this book; it is very much appreciated.
A writer’s life can sometimes seem a little cut off from other people – as you might imagine, there is a lot of sitting alone making up s
tories involved! So, I would like to thank all of my author friends across the Lounge, the Savvies and on Twitter – you make coffee break even better!
Since I began to write, I’ve been lucky to fall into a community of book bloggers – too many to mention and much too generous to forget. They share a love of books, generously and enthusiastically – you’re a rare gift!
To you my reader – thank you for picking up my book – I do hope you enjoyed it and you’ll come back for more…
And finally, to my wonderful family, Seán, Roisín, Tomás and Cristín, you make every day special. To James for his unwavering support and enthusiasm, I still can’t believe my luck to have you at my side. To Christine Cafferkey for so much more than I can write here.
Finally, thank you to Bernadine Cafferkey, for walking every plot step with me, reading every word and finding something in them to praise always – I count my blessings every day!
Published by Bookouture in 2019
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An imprint of StoryFire Ltd.
Carmelite House
50 Victoria Embankment
London EC4Y 0DZ
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www.bookouture.com
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Copyright © Geraldine Hogan, 2019
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Geraldine Hogan has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.
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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.
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eBook ISBN: 978-1-78681-909-3
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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