The Bee Sting

WINNER OF THE NERO BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION 2023WINNER OF AN POST IRISH BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2023SHORTLISTED FOR THE WRITERS PRIZE FOR FICTION 2024SHORTLISTED FOR THE KERRY GROUP NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2024ONE OF SARAH JESSICA PARKER S BEST BOOKS OF 2023Book of the Year 2023 according to New York Times New Yorker The Sunday Times The Economist Observer Guardian Washington Post Lit Hub TIME magazine Irish Times The Oldie Daily Mail i Paper Independent The Standard The Times Kirkus Daily Express City A M A tragicomic triumph You won t read a sadder truer funnier novel this year GuardianThe Barnes family are in trouble Until recently they ran the biggest business in town now they re teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and that s just the start of their problems Dickie and Imelda s marriage is hanging by a thread straight A student Cass is careening off the rails PJ is hopelessly in debt to the school bully Meanwhile the ghosts of old mistakes are rising out of the past to meet them but everyone s too wrapped up in the present to see the danger looming Generous immersive sharp witted and devastating the sort of novel that becomes a friend for life Financial Times Paul Murray is the undisputed reignin