Saints for All Occasions

Courtney Sullivan Fleet, out now

This story starts with a violent death as a car crash claims a life and the sad news has to be broken across a silence that has stretched across decades.

Cut back 50 years, and inseparable sisters Nora and Theresa Flynn leave their small Irish village in 1957, sailing to a new life in Boston. Outgoing Theresa is full of excitement, while shy Nora brims with dread.

The years in between, which include a fateful decision that leads to a rift, are beautifully drawn, with wonderful period detail. A compelling family saga, full of grief and regret, it’s always absorbing. DEIRDRE O‘BRIEN