Description

THE POWERFUL AND MOVING NOVEL OF NEW BEGINNINGS AND OLD FAMILY SECRETS FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ASK AGAIN, YES

‘An epic story about immigration, identity and family’ Hannah Beckerman, Guardian

‘The characters are so well drawn and out of the ordinary that I was quickly drawn into their story and didn’t want it to end’ 5***** Reader Review

‘A gorgeous nostalgic family drama with real characters. Loved it’ 5***** Reader Review
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1960s Rural Ireland. Greta Cahill must abandon her deserted village to follow her fearless sister Johanna on a ship bound for New York . . .

It’s here that she steps out of her sister’s shadow and into a life of her own, rich with love, work and family.

As the years pass, Greta longs to revisit the past – to see her mother, to show her what she has made of herself.

But she must protect a family secret, decades old.

So when her children conspire to unite the worlds she’s kept so carefully apart, Greta fears she could lose it all . . .

A profoundly moving, compassionate story of self-discovery, The Walking People is a powerful and compelling story about our connection to the past.
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‘Keane’s previous novel Ask Again, Yes, was on my best Books of 2019, and this is just as good. Its slow, melodic pace proves we don’t always need fast action and twists’ Prima, ‘Best Books of March’

‘Engrossing . . . Captures the windswept grittiness of Irish poverty as vividly as the technicolour hustle and bustle of 1960s New York. The Walking People is the kind of novel you simply don’t want to end’ Daily Express

‘Atmospheric, moving and brilliantly well-written’ Daily Mail

Praise for Mary Beth Keane:

‘A fearless writer’ Lisa Taddeo, author of Three Women

‘A novel of great compassion and understanding . . . rich with story’ John Boyne

‘I’ll read everything she writes’ Liane Moriarty, author of Big Little Lies

‘A writer of extraordinary depth, feeling and wit’ Meg Wolitzer, author of The Female Persuasion

‘Immersive and deeply moving’ Anna Hope, author of Expectation

‘It’s an absolute stunner, an ode to family and forgiveness that has been crafted with compassion and insight’ Sara Collins, author of The Confessions of Frannie Langton

Publisher Review

A compelling drama of transatlantic Irish life Marries a deliciously old-fashioned style of storytelling with a fresh take on the immigrant experience . . . A warm, involving family drama * Booklist * An epic story about immigration, identity and family . . . Keane portrays the complex and, at times, challenging lives of these working-class women with tenderness and compassion * Guardian * Atmospheric, moving and brilliantly well-written * Daily Mail * This atmospheric read that spans from 1950s Ireland to modern-day America and follows the fortunes of a woman on the run from a family secret * Good Housekeeping * Keane's previous novel Ask Again, Yes, was on my best Books of 2019, and this is just as good. Its slow, melodic pace proves we don't always need fast action and twists. Set between Ireland and new York, it's about two sisters; one craves adventure, the other, family; both have secrets * Prima, 'Best Books of March' * An American dream story, told over decades, taking its reader from rural 1915 Ireland to the streets of New York and back again -- Mariella Frostrup * Times Radio * A moving and sweeping story that takes readers from the west coast of Ireland to America, following a family of immigrants across the different decades * Culturefly * I was a big fan of Ask Again, Yes and this is every bit as good * Good Housekeeping * An epic yarn . . . an evocative portrait of the immigrant, but also adds greater subtlety to this theme of belonging * RTE Guide * Praise for Ask Again, Yes * - * The new Little Fires Everywhere * Stylist * One of the most exceptional novels of the summer . . . Has the makings of a future classic. * Sunday Express * A beautiful novel, bursting at the seams with empathy * Elle * Absolutely brilliant, a must read for our time I'll read everything she writes Powerful and moving . . . Mary Beth Keane is a writer of extraordinary depth, feeling and wit. Readers will love this book, as I did -- Meg Wolitzer, author of The Female Persuasion Immersive and deeply moving -- Anna Hope, author of Expectation A pleasantly accessible novel that will be popular with book clubs . . . Keane is a nuanced observer * Sunday Times *