Where They Lie

Claire Coughlan worked as a journalist in Ireland for many years. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from UCD and lives in Co Kildare with her husband and daughter. Her first novel, Where They Lie, was published in 2024 and shortlisted for the An Post Irish Crime Novel of the Year award.

Praise for Where They Lie: ‘Deliciously evocative and atmospheric . . . a shocking story, stylishly told’ IRISH SUNDAY INDEPENDENT 'The mysteries surrounding Nicoletta intertwine grippingly with the mysteries within her, but what makes Where They Lie special is its keen awareness of Dublin's layers of light and shadow. Coughlan digs deeply into the dark side, Ireland's horrifying record around women and childbearing – but at the same time the book brings to life, in fine, tender, vivid detail, the rich atmosphere of 1960s Dublin' TANA FRENCH    'Beautifully written, utterly absorbing. It’s hard to believe Coughlan wasn’t right there in 1960s Dublin observing the world she describes in such word-perfect detail. A stunning debut' ANDREA MARA   'A thrillingly dark and atmospheric tale, richly evocative of its time, especially for those of us old enough to remember 1968' JOHN BANVILLE   ‘Where They Lie, beautifully crafted in its historical detail, is a labyrinthine tale that takes us on a meandering quest from the mean streets of Dublin’s inner city out to its leafiest suburbs . . .’ IRISH TIMES 'Gripping and brilliantly atmospheric, and Nicoletta Sarto, the novel's protagonist – the way she talks, the way she thinks – is a great invention' RODDY DOYLE   'Atmospheric and absorbing, an ambitious young journalist finds herself at the heart of a corkscrew tale she never knew existed. A dark and turbulent journey to unexpected truths’ VAL McDERMID ‘A dark, gorgeously written thriller, its tap root deep in a past so vividly evoked, you can see and smell and feel it’ NICCI FRENCH   ‘Atmospheric, authentic, and almost unbearably poignant. Like the best historical fiction, Where They Lie transports the reader back in time while holding up a mirror to the present. A must-read’ ERIN KELLY    ‘Dark and atmospheric’ PRIMA   ‘A beautifully atmospheric and evocative murder mystery with some serious issues at its heart’ BEST   'This is a stunning debut. Original characters, complex issues, excellent twists. Claire Coughlan is an author to watch' JO SPAIN   'A wintry Dublin sets the scene for this complex, haunting mystery. Coughlan writes with such confidence and heart as she draws us into both journalist Nicoletta Sarto’s world, and the women who came before her.  Packed with suspects, intrigue, and deep emotional truths' CAZ FREAR   ‘Gripping and deeply atmospheric, you can hear the click of the typewriter keys in the Irish Sentinel office as this tense and evocative debut unfurls. Coughlan's brilliantly crafted characters bring you straight to 1968, to a dark and unexpected mystery where every woman's struggle for identity resonates. Beautifully written and perfectly paced, Coughlan is a true talent to watch. I loved Nicoletta Sarto, more please!’ SAM BLAKE 'Lost myself completely in this cracking debut. Rich, complex, and beautifully written. Just gorgeous!' ANDREA CARTER   'Steeped in atmosphere, time and place, and as emotional as it is gripping, this is a blistering debut' TAMMY COHEN    ‘A beautiful, haunting debut – totally absorbing from first page to last’ PHOEBE LOCKE   ‘Journalist Claire Coughlan tackles one of the many distressing aspects of Ireland’s past in this novel . . . This involving story shows the importance of the rights women have won in the past half-century and the need to ensure they are not compromised now’ LITERARY REVIEW ‘An ambitious crime yarn . . . goes underneath the genre’s skin to expose the cruelty of illegitimacy for women in Irish history and has a strong female character at its helm’ RTÉ GUIDE   ‘A cracking debut’ BELFAST TELEGRAPH   ‘A deeply absorbing mystery’ CRIME MONTHLY   ‘ [A] vivid sense of the cut and thrust world behind the front page headlines, and the many characters that inhabit it. It’s all a far cry from the clickbait of today’s 24-hour news sites and much moreexciting as a consequence . . . a strong debut’ CRIME FICTION LOVER   ‘Debut author Coughlan effortlessly plants clues that pay off in gasp-worthy twists . . . Recommended for readers of dark, historical crime fiction’ BOOKLIST