The Raptures by Jan Carson

We arrive in The Raptures at a small Northern Irish village in July, and schoolgirl Hannah is relieved it’s the start of the summer holidays, oblivious that everything around her is about to change.

One by one, her classmates succumb to a mysterious illness, and Hannah is plagued with survivor’s guilt. For each child who dies, hysteria among the villagers grows. They want answers. As the plot unfolds, Jan Carson’s empathic writing will lead you to love each resident and feel their loss. This book is witty, surprising, and at times heartrending, as it takes an honest look at people at their most desperate, and a community ready to burst at the seams.