Books by Maeve Binchy

''There''s nobody like Binchy for warming the cockles, and this collection of Christmas stories warms them to white heat'' Kate Saunders, The Times Christmas: a time of year when emotions run high and long-held secrets can unexpectedly surface... This Year It Will Be Different powerfully evokes the lives of wives, husbands, children, friends and lovers. As the festivities take hold, there are step-families grappling with exes; long-married couples faced with in-law problems; a wandering husband choosing between the other woman and his wife; a child caught up in a grown-up tug-of-war. ''We are all in her pages, all of us: mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, husbands, wives, children, friends, lovers ... It is this combination of Maeve''s understanding of what it is to be human, and how to cope with life, that makes her so popular'' Veronica Henry, bestselling author of Christmas at the Beach Hut

THE GLASS LAKE Kit McMahon lives in the small Irish town of Lough Glass, a place where nothing changes - until the day Kit''s mother disappears and Kit is haunted by the memory of her mother, alone at the kitchen table, tears streaming down her face. Now Kit, too, has secrets: of the night she discovered a letter and burned it, unopened. The night her mother was lost. The night everything changed for ever... TARA ROAD A house swap leads to an unlikely and touching friendship, as secrets are unveiled and lives changed. Along with the borrowed houses come neighbours and friends, gossip and speculation as Ria and Marilyn swap lives for the summer... with unexpected results. MINDING FRANKIE Baby Frankie is born into an unusual family. Her mother is desperate to find someone to take care of her child and she doesn''t have much time. But even in the most difficult circumstances, help is at hand. Minding Frankie is a superb novel about unconventional families, relationships which aren''t quite what they seem, and the child at the heart of everyone''s lives...

A Vintage Shorts “Short Story Month” Original Selection It starts out like any other dull day in a busy airport bar. James, the bartender, would much rather serve regulars at a local pub than cranky travelers. Katy and Colin have been involved in a longtime affair that comes to literal blows when he reveals that he hasn’t kept his promise to leave his wife. Between some quick thinking by James and the kindness of an American couple, Jean and Maurice, the situation is defused. And Jean’s insistence that they all stay in touch sparks friendships that are maintained across the ocean. But after nearly a decade of writing annual letters, she reveals a secret that casts the events of that day in a whole new light… The recent New York Times best seller, A Few of the Girls, is a collection of Maeve''s beloved short stories that one reviewer called “reminiscent of a letter from an old friend.” We are lucky that there are even more stories for her readers. In “The September Letters,” never before published in the United States, Maeve once again brings us into the lives of ordinary people where chance meetings have the potential to change lives. An ebook short.

From Maeve Binchy’s earliest writings to the most recent, her work is filled with wisdom and common sense and also a sharp, often witty voice that is insightful and reaches out to her readers around the world and of all ages. Whether it is one of her best-selling novels or a short story, Maeve shows us that times may have changed, but people often remain the same: they fall in love, sometimes unsuitably; they have hopes and dreams; they have deep, long-standing friends whose secrets are shared; they go on holidays and celebrate new jobs . . . A Few of the Girls is a glorious collection of the very best of her short story writing, stories that were written over the decades—some published in magazines, others for friends as gifts, many for charity benefits. The stories are all filled with the signature warmth and humor that have always been an essential part of Maeve’s appeal.

Five decades of selected writings from the Irish Times by the beloved and best-selling author, filled with her hallmark humor, candor, and wisdom-a timeless gift to her legion of fans. Maeve Binchy once confessed: "As someone who fell off a chair not long ago trying to hear what they were saying at the next table in a restaurant, I suppose I am obsessively interested in what some might consider the trivia of other people''s lives." She was an accidental journalist, yet from the beginning, her writings reflected the warmth, wit, and keen human interest that readers would come to love in her fiction. From the royal wedding to boring airplane companions, Samuel Beckett to Margaret Thatcher, "senior moments" to life as a waitress, Maeve''s Times gives us wonderful insight into a changing Ireland as it celebrates the work of one of our best-loved writers in all its diversity-revealing her characteristic directness, laugh-out-loud humor, and unswerving gaze into the true heart of a matter. “Binchy’s wry, self-effacing style reminds one of a Celtic Nora Ephron. . . . [She] throws a spotlight on strong, imperfect women confronting complicated challenges.” —The Christian Science Monitor

A New York Times Bestseller From the author of A Week in Winter and Minding Frankie: a poignant and heartwarming collection of stories centered on the comings and goings of one delightful street in Dublin “Packed with charming takes on people''s quirks and foibles, nosy neighbors and friendly ones. Binchy eloquently exposes and explores relationships between parents and children, husbands and wives, longtime and recently acquired friends.”—The Boston Globe Imagined with the humor and understanding that are hallmarks of Maeve Binchy’s storytelling, the world of Chestnut Street captivates us with its joys and sorrows. Maguire, the window cleaner, must do more than he bargained for in order to protect his son. Nessa Byrne’s aunt visits from America every summer, turning Nessa’s house—and world—upside down. Lilian, a generous girl with a big heart, has a fiancé whom no one approves of. Melly’s gossipy ways help Madame Magic, a self-styled fortune-teller, get everyone on the right track. And Dolly, an awkward young girl, discovers more about her perfect mother than she ever wanted to know.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the acclaimed author of Circle of Friends • In a small town on the west coast of Ireland, an unlikely cast of characters come together at a newly opened inn. This "delightful [novel that] radiates the warmth and charm that fans will recognize and cherish" (USA Today). Stoneybridge is a small town on the west coast of Ireland where all the families know one another. When Chicky Starr decides to take an old, decaying mansion set high on the cliffs overlooking the windswept Atlantic Ocean and turn it into a restful place for a holiday by the sea, everyone thinks she is crazy. Helped by Rigger (a bad boy turned good who is handy around the house) and Orla, her niece (a whiz at business), Chicky is finally ready to welcome the first guests to Stone House’s big warm kitchen, log fires, and understated elegant bedrooms. John, the American movie star, thinks he has arrived incognito; Winnie and Lillian are forced into taking a holiday together; Nicola and Henry, husband and wife, have been shaken by seeing too much death practicing medicine; Anders hates his father’s business, but has a real talent for music; Miss Nell Howe, a retired schoolteacher, criticizes everything and leaves a day early, much to everyone’s relief; the Walls are disappointed to have won this second-prize holiday in a contest where first prize was Paris; and Freda, the librarian, is afraid of her own psychic visions. Sharing a week with these characters is pure joy, full of Maeve’s trademark warmth and humor. Once again, she embraces us with her grand storytelling. This ebook edition includes photos from the landscape of A WEEK IN WINTER and a Reading Group Guide.

Dear Maeve is a collection of Maeve Binchy's articles from The Irish Times. Professor Anthony Clare on Dear Maeve: How do you tell someone that they've tucked their skirts into their knickers? Should you correct your wife when she says "commodium" instead of "condominium"? What should you do if your see your son-in- law nuzzling a woman, not your daughter, at a nearby lunch table? Maeve takes a subtle glance at the practical problems that confront us all; when, if ever, to put an elderly relative in a nursing home, how to avoid a Christmas argument that lasts an entire new year, just what to do for and say to a friend who is about to die. Behind the apparent ordinariness, the airy grace and the fluent style lies genuine wisdom.

Herzenskind - Eine berührende Geschichte über unkonventionelle Liebe und den Kampf um eine kleine Familie Noel und Lisa führen kein gewöhnliches Leben in Dublin. Sie teilen sich eine Wohnung und die Verantwortung für die kleine Frankie, Noels Tochter. Obwohl Lisa nicht Frankies leibliche Mutter ist, liebt sie das Kind ebenso wie Noel, der seiner sterbenden Frau versprach, für die Kleine zu sorgen. Doch ihre ungewöhnliche Familienkonstellation weckt das Misstrauen der Sozialarbeiterin Moira, die heimlich bereits nach Adoptiveltern für Frankie sucht. Als Noel davon erfährt, droht er zu verzweifeln. Doch dann nimmt das Leben eine unerwartete Wendung und stellt nicht nur für Noel und Lisa, sondern auch für Moira alles auf den Kopf. Maeve Binchy erzählt in Herzenskind einfühlsam von der Kraft der Liebe, die auch in unkonventionellen Familien ein Zuhause finden kann. Ein bewegender Roman über die Herausforderungen des Lebens und den Mut, für sein Glück zu kämpfen.

A fantastic Maeve Binchy - written specially for the World Book Day Quick Reads promotion. ''Her storytelling ability is second to none'' SUNDAY EXPRESS ''It''s little wonder that Maeve Binchy''s bewitching stories have become world-beaters'' OK MAGAZINE ''Maeve Binchy is a master storyteller'' NEW YORK TIMES Dee loves her children very much, but now they are all grown up, shouldn''t they leave home? Rosie moved out when she got married, but it didn''t work out, so now she is back with her parents. Helen is a teacher, and doesn''t earn enough for a place of her own. Anthony writes songs, and is just waiting for the day when someone will pay him for them. Until then, all three are happy at home. It doesn''t cost them anything, and surely their parents like having a full house? When a crisis occurs, Dee decides things have to change for the whole family...whether they like it or not.

Heart-warming and heart-pulling tales of everyday life, full of wit, charm and wisdom from the world''s greatest storyteller. ''One of the world''s best-loved writers'' Woman''s Weekly Heart-warming and heart-pulling tales of everyday life, full of wit, charm and wisdom from the world''s greatest storyteller. ''One of the world''s best-loved writers'' Woman''s Weekly Contains: THE COPPER BEECH, THE GLASS LAKE, EVENING CLASS, TARA ROAD, SCARLET FEATHER

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A story of patients and staff, family, and friends who are part of a heart clinic in a community caught between the old Ireland and the new. • "Good-hearted [and] entertaining." —The Washington Post Dr. Clara Casey has been offered the thankless job of establishing the underfunded clinic and agrees to take it on for a year. She has plenty on her plate already—two difficult adult daughters and the unwanted attentions of her ex-husband—but she assembles a wonderfully diverse staff devoted to helping their demanding, often difficult patients. Before long the clinic is established as an essential part of the community, and Clara must decide whether or not to leave a place where lives are saved, courage is rewarded, and humor and optimism triumph over greed and self-pity.

Maeve Binchy is one of the world's best loved story tellers. This collection from Australia and around the world gives us stories that are sad and happy, thoughtful and humourous, but always abounding with the author's trademark generosity of spirit. Families, friends, lovers and the lonely, all are drawn with affection and wisdom. Elsa makes a Christmas wish at the Statue of Liberty which comes true in a most unexpected way. Amy opts for the simple life when Dan bites off more than he can chew. Frankie uses an unexpected trip with Robert to find out what she really wants from their relationship. Victor, a self-confessed hopeless romantic, accompanies a friend to Australia with no thought of love on his mind. Nick and Janet meet at the Sydney Fish Markets . . . everything seems perfect, what could go wrong? Victoria imagines what it would mean to her widowed father to join her in his beloved Paris for a weekend. Bran enters a competition to broaden his horizons.

When Noel learns that his terminally ill former flame is pregnant with his child, he agrees to take guardianship of the baby girl once she''s born; but as a single father battling demons of his own, Noel can''t do it alone. He has a caring network of friends and family, but a social worker is convinced that Frankie would be better off in a foster home.

A vintage collection of short stories from the bestselling author of Light a Penny Candle and Circle of Friends. ''A master storyteller'' Marian Keyes ‘A brilliant writer’ Jilly Cooper ------------------ Millions of people travel on London''s tube every day, yet we usually give our fellow passengers only a cursory glance. But every one one of these nameless passengers has their own story to tell. At Notting Hill, the mysterious secretary harbouring her secrets, travels to work; at Highbury and Islington, Adam has a sudden change of heart; and at Holborn, a disastrous reunion is about to take place... With her characteristic mix of compassionate humour and biting realism, this vintage collection of stories is Maeve Binchy at her very best! -------- Love for Victoria Line, Central Line: ''Maeve Binchy is a master at creating believable and sympathetic characters'' ''Absolutely amazing.'' ''Wonderful.'' ''Great inspiring short stories.'' ''Beautifully written.'' ''Delightful . . . I giggled, smiled, and shed a few tears while reading.''

A vintage collection of short stories set in the heart of Dublin, from the bestselling author of Light a Penny Candle and Circle of Friends. ''A master storyteller'' Marian Keyes ‘A brilliant writer’ Jilly Cooper ------------------ A society hostess entertains her husband''s mistress to dinner; a country girl savours the delights of city life; a student faces the dilemma of unmarried pregnancy; and a drink-ridden photographer tries to relaunch a shattered career... This vintage collection of stories from the bestselling author of Light a Penny Candle and Circle of Friends is Maeve Binchy at her best - her trademark warmth, wit and compassion are unmistakeable. ------------------ Love for Dublin 4... ‘A brilliant storyteller who wrote from her heart’ Lorraine Kelly ‘Binchy makes you laugh, cry, and care’ San Francisco Chronicle ‘The warmest, funniest and most inspiring author . . . I''ve read everything she ever wrote’ Dame Jennie Murray ''Fascinating, moving and entirely delightful'' 5-star reader review ''Maeve Binchy is a top of the line story teller'' 5-star reader review ''Amazing as always expected from Binchy'' 5-star reader review ''A very compelling read'' 5-star reader review

In this warm and inspiring guide, a #1 New York Times bestselling author shares her unique insight to how to write: from finding a subject and creating good writing habits to sustaining progress and seeking a publisher. “The most important thing to realize is that everyone is capable of telling a story.” —Maeve Binchy If you scribble story ideas on the backs of receipts… If you file away bits of overheard conversation from the coffee shop... If you’ve already chosen the perfect pen name... Well, then the journey has begun! From beloved author Maeve Binchy comes the unique insight to how a bestselling author writes: from finding a subject and creating good writing habits to sustaining progress and seeking a publisher. Whether you want to write stories or plays, humor or mysteries, Binchy prescribes advice for every step with her signature humor and generous spirit. She has called upon other writers, editors, and publishers to add their voices to this treasury of assistance for budding writers and a refreshing dose of encouragement for longtime scribes. And once you are ready, an appendix offers of writing awards and competitions and a selection of websites and literary journals.

''A touching, funny, optimistic book full of wonderful, well observed characters'' Daily Mail ''Maeve Binchy at her best'' Choice Everything is changing in small Irish town of Rossmore - and when a new road threatens to cut through Whitethorn Woods, everyone has a passionate opinion about whether the town will benefit or suffer. At the heart of the conflict is the fate of St. Ann''s Well. People have been coming to St. Ann''s for generations to share their dreams and fears. Some believe it to be a place of true spiritual power, demanding protection; others think it''s a mere magnet for superstitions, easily sacrificed. When one man is offered compensation for his land - but has a personal reason to save the well - and a childless London woman comes to Whitethorn Woods, begging the saint for help, the consequences are not as anyone anticipated . . .

Original short fiction by a beloved best-selling author on her best topic relationships. Charming novella from a masterful writer on the power of family secrets. Nan Ryan lives by herself at 14 Chestnut Road. When builders arrive to fix a deserted house next door, everyone expects the worst. But when the handsome workman looks to Nan to help unravel the mystery of the previous residents'' disappearance, a strange relationship develops. With family dynamics and crooked developers in the wings, things are about to get very messy...

An emotional story of love, betrayal, friendship, and family from #1 New York Times bestselling author Maeve Binchy. David Power and Clare O''Brien both grew up dreaming of escape from the battered seaside town of Castlebay, Ireland, but they might as well have had the ocean between them. David is the cherished son of a prosperous doctor, while Clare lives with her large family behind their faltering store, longing for a moment of quiet to study. When they both go to university in Dublin—he as a matter of course, she on a hard-won scholarship—their worlds collide. They find freedom in each other—until the families, lovers, and secrets they left in Castlebay come back to haunt them... “Laughter and tears, it’s what Binchy does best.”—San Francisco Chronicle Book Review “The Castlebay Maeve Binchy creates is a marvelous place.”—The New York Times Book Review

In this extraordinary collection of stories, New York Times bestselling author Maeve Binchy once again reveals her incomparable understanding of matters of the heart with powerfully compelling stories of love, loss, revelation, and reconciliation. A secretary''s silent passion for her boss meets the acid test on a business trip. . . . A man and a woman''s mutual disdain at first sight shows how deceptive appearances can be. . . . An insecure wife clings to the illusion of order, only to discover chaos at the hands of a house sitter who opens the wrong doors. . . . A pair of star-crossed travelers take each other''s bags, and then learn that when you unlock a stranger''s suitcase, you enter a stranger''s life. In their company are many more, whose poignant, ironic, often humorous stories—unforgettable slices of life—make up The Return Journey, a spellbinding trip into the human heart.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A tender novel of the pleasures and pitfalls of friendship Tara Road is an ultramodern love story for women, about women, between women that is sure to delight.”—Newsday New York Times bestselling author Maeve Binchy has captured the hearts of millions with her unforgettable novels. Binchy''s graceful storytelling and wise compassion have earned her the devotion of fans worldwide--and made her one of the most beloved authors of our time. Now she dazzles us once again with a new novel filled with her signature warmth, humor, and tender insight. A provocative tale of family heartbreak, friendship, and revelation, Tara Road explores every woman''s fantasy: escape, into another place, another life. "What if . . ." Binchy asks, and answers in her most astonishing novel to date. Praise for Tara Road “Her best work yet . . . Tara Road is like a total immersion in a colorful new world, where the last page comes too soon.”—Seattle Times “An irresistible tale.”—Elle “Engrossing.”—Wall Street Journal “Difficult to put down!”—Denver Post “One of Binchy''s best.”—Kirkus Reviews

Kate Ryan and her husband, John, have a rollicking pub in the Irish village of Mountfern . . . four lovely children . . . and such wonderful dreams. But all that is about to change one fateful summer when American millionaire Patrick O''Neill comes to town with his irresistible charm, and money to burn. As love and hate vie for a town''s quiet heart, old traditions begin to crumble away. . . . Patrick O''Neill builds the grand hotel of his dreams, with its promise of wealth and change. Loyalties are challenged, jealousies ignited, and tragedy strikes before the foundation is laid. Suddenly Kate and John Ryan''s lives and family are bound up with the newcomer in ways they can never imagine. And Patrick O''Neill faces his own crisis of conscience and heart as the events he sets in motion take on a life of their own in a town that will never be the same again. Praise for Firefly Summer “The best Binchy yet.”—The New York Times Book Review “Totally engrossing . . . unforgettable . . . an absolutely grand story . . . a lyrical and compelling family drama . . . Mountfern and its residents come vibrantly alive.”—Cleveland Plain Dealer “The secrets hidden behind lace curtains, a young girl''s first kiss, children''s summer games, unexpected pregnancies, sudden deaths. She makes us feel as if we also know the place and its people. . . . One of those good old-fashioned stories that are as comfortable and comforting as home itself.”—Philadelphia Inquirer

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “Maeve Binchy is a grand storyteller in the finest Irish tradition."—The Plain Dealer The Journey . . . Every Friday night a lilac-colored minibus leaves Dublin for the Irish country town of Rathdoon with seven weekend commuters on board. All of them, from the joking bank porter to the rich doctor’s daughter, have their reasons for making the journey. The Destination . . . Rathdoon is the kind of Irish village where family histories are shared and scandals don’t stay secret for long. And this weekend, when the bus pulls in, the riders find the unexpected waiting for them . . . as each of their private lives unfolds to reveal a sharp betrayal of the heart, a young man’s crime, and a chance for new dreams among the eight intriguing men and women on . . . The Lilac Bus

It was the quiet ones you had to watch. That''s where the real passion was lurking. They came together at Mountainview College, a down-at-the-heels secondary school on the seamy side of Dublin, to take a course in Italian. It was Latin teacher Aidan Dunne''s last chance to revive a failing marriage and a dead-end career. But Aidan''s dream was headed for disaster until the mysterious Signora appeared, transforming a shared passion for Italy into a life-altering adventure for them all . . . bank clerk Bill and his dizzy fiance Lizzie: a couple headed for trouble . . . Kathy, a hardworking innocent propelled into adulthood in a shocking moment of truth . . . Connie, the gorgeous rich lady with a scandal ready to explode . . . glowering Lou, who joined the class as a cover for crime. And Signora, whose passionate past remained a secret as she changed all their lives forever. . . . From the New York Times bestselling author of This Year It Will Be Different, The Glass Lake, and Circle of Friends, comes a novel filled with Maeve Binchy''s signature warmth, wit, and sheer storytelling genius—a spellbinding tale of men and women whose quiet lives hide the most unexpected things. . . .

Whether it''s the sudden snapping of bonds between lovers or shopping on Oxford Street, Maeve Binchy finds the unexpected truth in experiences so real that every woman will recognize them. Filled with her delicious humor and warmth, the twenty-two stories in London Transports will delight and captivate as they take us to a place that is far away—and yet so familiar...Where having an affair with a married man brings one woman to a turning point...Where another finds that looking for an apartment to share can be a risky business...Where nosing into a secretary''s life can have shocking results...Where a dress designer just had a god-awful day...And where Maeve Binchy captures the beat of every woman''s heart.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “The Copper Beech is as soothing as a cup of tea.”—People In the little Irish town of Shancarrig, the young people carve their initials—and those of their loves—into the copper beech tree in front of the schoolhouse. But not even Father Gunn, the parish priest, who knows most of what goes on behind Shancarrig’s closed doors, or Dr. Jims, the village doctor, who knows all the rest, realize that not everything in the placid village is what it seems. Unexpected passions and fears are bringing together many lives, such as the sensitive new priest and Miss Ross, the slight, beautiful schoolteacher . . . Leonora, the privileged daughter of the town’s richest family, and Foxy Dunne, whose father did time in jail . . . and Nessa Ryan, whose parents run Ryan’s Hotel, and two very different young men. For now the secrets in Shancarrig’s shadows are starting to be revealed, from innocent vanities and hidden loves to crimes of the heart . . . and even to murder. Praise for The Copper Beech “A book with a difference . . . You’ll take it home to lend to your best friend.”—The New York Times Book Review “Binchy makes you laugh, cry, and care. Her warmth and sympathy render the daily struggles of ordinary people heroic and turn storytelling into art.”—San Francisco Chronicle “The Copper Beech finds author Maeve Binchy at her Irish storytelling best!”—Cleveland Plain Dealer