The Mystery of Mercy Close

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Although the other characters are well drawn, they seem to float around the periphery and rarely are asked to participate in the story. Make no mistake, this is a story about Helen Walsh's depression and little else. They mystery element of the story is non-existent. I'd guessed early on what had happened to Wayne Diffney and it was excruciating waiting for the reveal. I should never have underestimated Marian Keyes, though, because we've finally gotten Helen's story and she is real, believable, and completely sympathetic while still being the slightly dangerous, unpredictable Helen we've come to know, love and fear (just a little). Such a difficult question to answer because I love all five of them. In a way, Helen will always be my favourite because she’s fearless and will never let herself be pushed around by anyone – I wish I was more like her. But I feel a lot of admiration for Rachel for surviving addiction and making a good life for herself. I have great affection for Margaret – she’s so sensible and she managed to retain a cast-iron sense of self, which was a tough job in a family of such big characters. But Claire was the first sister I wrote about and I adore her sense of fun, which hasn’t changed in all these years. However, as I’ve got older, the characteristics I admire in people has changed and I value gentleness and kindness in my friends and I think Anna is the most tender of all the sisters. Playing by her own rules, Helen is drawn into a dark and glamorous world, where her worst enemy is her own head and where increasingly the only person she feels connected to is Wayne, a man she's never even met. Again, Rachel is dedicated to her mother, with whom she has unexpectedly “fallen in love” after years of “what you could call a robust relationship”: her mother is a “devout Catholic”, Keyes “a devout non-Catholic”. The eldest of five, Keyes attributes her gift for telling a story, and making it funny, to growing up in a big noisy household, rather like the Walshes. “Being a good raconteur was a thing in my family,” she says. “I think there was a blueprint given to me very early on. You laugh at your misfortune. It’s an immensely Irish thing.”

I love Marian Keyes. I’d read that woman’s grocery list. I’ve read (and adored) all her novels but the Walsh sister’s books are my favourites, in particular Rachel’s Holiday and Anybody Out There?. This is the fifth and final Walsh sister book, the story of the youngest sister Helen, a periphery but forceful character in the previous books. Helen was well known for her sharp tongue and even Keyes herself mentioned in interviews she was frightened of writing Helen’s story because she is such a formidable character, even in books that weren’t about her. However Helen’s story is finally here and I regarded it with equal parts excitement and anticipation. Would I be able to like Helen as a protagonist?Besides the Walshes, the other secondary characters are wonderfully drawn, especially Bella, one of her boyfriend's children. Speaking of boyfriends, I wasn't sure until the very near the end who exactly Helen was going to end up with. Marian really had me worried a number of times. It was time to point out the one big nasty flaw in their delicious vision. ‘But you’d be in a psychiatric hospital.’ I don’t say this for any reason other than to explain why I bonded so much with this story. I'm a glass half empty person, I am big enough and ugly enough now to accept that, and try to be positive to the best of my ability. I have always had mental health challenges, it runs in my family (thanks Dad). I have never considered suicide, but I can certainly relate to times when I haven’t wanted to be alive. If these are feelings you would rather not read about than this is not the book for you. I loved the setting- Ireland. The humor mixed in with the dark depths of an uncomfortable topic was pulled off with aplomb. There were some laugh out loud moments, and some poignant moments as well as a compelling mystery. Love the Walsh sisters? Don't miss out on the eagerly awaited sequel to Rachel's Holiday: AGAIN, RACHEL . . .

I loved this book. The story is interesting on several levels. The investigation into Wayne’s disappearance brings mystery and action. The host of characters in Helen’s life provide entertainment, smiles and laugh-out-loud moments. And her struggle with depression gives both Helen’s character and the book depth and the reader food for thought.

Multibuys

When her ex Jay Parker comes offering her a job, Helen doesn’t want to take it. But Jay’s money is too good and Helen desperately needs the work. Jay is putting together a reunion of one of Ireland’s most popular boybands and one of the members, Wayne Diffney has disappeared without a trace. Wayne was reluctant to take part in the reunion concert but he swore he’d be there and now with just a week to go there’s no sign of him. Jay wants Helen to find Wayne and find him fast – there’s a lot of money riding on this and a lot of people stand to lose big time if the tour gets canned.