https://mbhowe.com Martin Howe Tue, 26 Jun 2018 10:52:00 +0000 https://mbhowe.com en https://mbhowe.com/Home Tue, 26 Jun 2018 10:51:56 +0000 Martin Howe https://mbhowe.com/Home https://mbhowe.com/Dead-Right-available-now Tue, 26 Jun 2018 10:52:00 +0000 Martin Howe https://mbhowe.com/Dead-Right-available-now DEAD RIGHT “……… and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying.” -&nbsp;Luke 2:37 Dead Right is a novel about commitment. Commitment to behaving in ways that would have deadly consequences, commitment to deeply held beliefs, commitment to family, commitment to love and ultimately commitment to a course of action that is felt to be right, but leaves three women dead and one at death’s door. Dead Right provides an insight into the psychology of radicalism and how strongly held beliefs can lead to and be used to justify extreme actions. <img width="1170" height="1847" width_o="1170" height_o="1847" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/3cf997d78417f21a08be8a6dcd7bbff44be3ee782d08b0c1678e3ac169ede760/IMG_2991.jpeg" data-mid="202749505" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/3cf997d78417f21a08be8a6dcd7bbff44be3ee782d08b0c1678e3ac169ede760/IMG_2991.jpeg" /> <img width="3648" height="2736" width_o="3648" height_o="2736" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c21c033d419cb0663c626efd5f60d626b495d9ea403f1306d404ebd8a837ad4e/P1016381.jpg" data-mid="27188567" border="0" data-scale="100" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/c21c033d419cb0663c626efd5f60d626b495d9ea403f1306d404ebd8a837ad4e/P1016381.jpg" /> Dead Right tells the story of three sisters and their aunt who willingly chose to starve themselves to death, shutting themselves off from the world in a suburban house to face a slow painful end. It details the events leading up to their decision to commit collective suicide, their motivations and fears, how they were able to carry out this horrific feat of endurance and overcome the terrors of an inevitable death. <img width="3648" height="2736" width_o="3648" height_o="2736" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e7dcf38983d0c1c948d88684a87b00bb0847937dd9c5c0c7b8a095eb2bd28fa6/P1016384.jpg" data-mid="27188707" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e7dcf38983d0c1c948d88684a87b00bb0847937dd9c5c0c7b8a095eb2bd28fa6/P1016384.jpg" /> <img width="3648" height="2736" width_o="3648" height_o="2736" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9fbf39549f5d6461c75048d1b5d93e81a85df018bebbd97e1471e66cc223875f/P1016397.jpg" data-mid="27189045" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/9fbf39549f5d6461c75048d1b5d93e81a85df018bebbd97e1471e66cc223875f/P1016397.jpg" /> <img width="3648" height="2736" width_o="3648" height_o="2736" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/256e7d42cd59afb05becd4dc546fdf8bcf31869806bf45bde11cb4a5a8731cbe/P1016389.jpg" data-mid="27188721" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/256e7d42cd59afb05becd4dc546fdf8bcf31869806bf45bde11cb4a5a8731cbe/P1016389.jpg" /> Dead Right explores the complex relationships between the women and how the men in their lives – the father domineering, passionate about his beliefs, committed and violent; the weak, immature brother feeble in his convictions and the abusive, unfaithful husband, as well as their boyfriends and lovers of varying degrees of sincerity – alienated and&nbsp;motivated them, inspiring and moulding their plans. Opening in war-torn Iraq the women’s story unfolds against the turbulent background of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.&nbsp; Critical to the unravelling of the truth about what happened inside the house is the survivor, one of the sisters, an ambivalent figure, who is both a participant in the unfolding drama and an unreliable observer, yet is the only witness able to explain to a perplexed and horrified world why they did what they did. The novel demonstrates clearly how true believers&nbsp;can present their own justification of events, and have it accepted as the historical truth, if only they can survive. The inspiration for Dead Right came from a real event.&nbsp;The discovery on the 12thJuly 2000 of the bodies of four women in a three bedroom semi-detached house in Leixlip, County Kildare, 15 miles west of Dublin. The women had shut themselves in their rented home and starved to death. They left no note explaining clearly why they had done it.&nbsp; <img width="3648" height="2736" width_o="3648" height_o="2736" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ca1cbaaca9f9989bc080d9d65434340ab6574b3aa985e699ae84422d60c76584/P1016395.jpg" data-mid="27188803" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ca1cbaaca9f9989bc080d9d65434340ab6574b3aa985e699ae84422d60c76584/P1016395.jpg" /> <img width="3648" height="2736" width_o="3648" height_o="2736" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/5ed8e0d41dc07e5a2ad1719e7b085418e5bee1c411b8a6159bd105180435e5f0/P1016383.jpg" data-mid="27188908" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/5ed8e0d41dc07e5a2ad1719e7b085418e5bee1c411b8a6159bd105180435e5f0/P1016383.jpg" /> Dead Right is a work of fiction and the protagonists bear no relation to the four dead women. The novel presents its own version of what happened, interweaving the imagined lives of the characters into a narrative that reaches a revelatory climax and finally answers the question why?Dead Right Available Now Reviews:A tour de force.&nbsp; I couldn’t put it down. I thought the characterisation was excellent and while nobody was exactly appealing each character had something to either make you sorry for them or at least understand their motivations. Fantastically well done. S EppelA gripping whydunnit with a twist.&nbsp;Inspired by the real life mystery of 4 women from the same Irish family found barricaded in and starved to death leaving no explanation, Dead Right is an intriguing and gripping work of fiction based on this premise.Relocated to present day Northern Ireland, it’s the story of the long shadow that is cast by the Troubles, the Catholic church and the men in these women’s lives.I was hooked in from the start as the mystery of why these women did what they did gradually unfolds, and be warned - the twist at the end is a killer.Another great read from Martin Howe. P C KellyA gripping read. This is a beautifully written fictionalised account of a chilling and mystifying real event. Martin Howe skilfully analyses the possible motives of all of the characters but leaves the denouement till the very last. I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommended. D S MattinsonA compelling and intriguing novel by Martin Howe, which delves deeply into the intricacies of familial relationships. &nbsp;This dark story engages the reader from the start and takes them along the resolute and deadly path of its protagonists. Jackie Almond Gripping Read -&nbsp;another great novel by Martin Howe. Inspired by real events, the author conjures up a convincing explanation of the inexplicable against the background of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Basically a Why Done It with a satisfying and unexpected twist at the end. Highly recommend! &nbsp;Becky SDead Right is an unpredictable novel highlighting the power of manipulation and deceit. It kept you doubting each character resulting in a very unpredictable ending - I really recommend this book! Dulcie H https://mbhowe.com/Coming-Down-available-now Tue, 26 Jun 2018 10:51:59 +0000 Martin Howe https://mbhowe.com/Coming-Down-available-now COMING DOWN “Does for sky-diving what ‘Point Break’ did for surfing.” Johnny Utah Coming Down is a novel about falling - falling in love, falling from grace, falling foul, falling apart, falling free. A story of addiction, drug dealing and sky-diving in the age of the internet. At its vertiginous centre one man’s commitment to making money and living life to excess. An amoral hero with huge appetites for women, designer clothes and drugs, guided by a criminal code that allows him free rein to exploit the real and virtual networks of the global era. <img width="1125" height="691" width_o="1125" height_o="691" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d4728d02e6fca9716c0a9088b51c86a2dfe49cbec8b96a31a23ab04fd6c07011/IMG_3624-2.jpeg" data-mid="91224557" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d4728d02e6fca9716c0a9088b51c86a2dfe49cbec8b96a31a23ab04fd6c07011/IMG_3624-2.jpeg" /> <img width="540" height="472" width_o="540" height_o="472" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/322db00bcc5da9518c025808476d015777b4e098a926a72a70de9d9d07cddca7/992977_10151795519927275_2091718471_n-2.jpg" data-mid="27123452" border="0" data-scale="89" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/540/i/322db00bcc5da9518c025808476d015777b4e098a926a72a70de9d9d07cddca7/992977_10151795519927275_2091718471_n-2.jpg" />. The exhilarating drama of a gut-churning, high altitude free fall over the desert coastline of southern California provides the narrative structure for Coming Down. Each chapter brings the hero, X, closer to the earth and as he hurtles downwards his thoughts and feelings about falling provide the cement that binds the key events in his life into a revelatory whole that opens the way to understanding why he is, where he is, plunging towards the Pacific Ocean at terminal velocity. Falling is central to Coming Down and each chapter is “book-ended” with startling biblical, literary, scientific, and journalistic extracts, both serious and humorous, about falling. Some are of only tangential relevance to the plot, others of vital importance. <img width="703" height="279" width_o="703" height_o="279" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a6d6c401b930d5378ce1e0d553652c519820b3400f2c4504859ed925e203cdf1/992977_10151795519927275_2091718471_n-4.jpg" data-mid="27124082" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/703/i/a6d6c401b930d5378ce1e0d553652c519820b3400f2c4504859ed925e203cdf1/992977_10151795519927275_2091718471_n-4.jpg" /> &nbsp; <img width="782" height="1224" width_o="782" height_o="1224" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d2e1b87135db000e2dc52441b2ca1607f0794c7348ac34299c609160d696950a/Howe_DRAFT11310.jpg" data-mid="91996370" border="0" data-scale="54" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/782/i/d2e1b87135db000e2dc52441b2ca1607f0794c7348ac34299c609160d696950a/Howe_DRAFT11310.jpg" /> “There comes a time when you believe, for an instant, that you are flying - soaring skyward and not hurtling towards the earth at immense speed - the chemistry of exhilaration warping the electrical signals discharged from all senses; your eyes, wide-open staring at the ground below, absorbing the bigger picture, poring over the detail, that now appears to be becoming more distant, silence falls and the wind on your face and hands eases.......” &nbsp; “Coming Down gives a whole new meaning to getting high!” Jane Clargo Coming Down Available to order: Troubador Publishing Bookshop.org&nbsp; Amazon Blackwell’s Book Depository Waterstones WH Smith Buy as an ebook:AmazonGoogle Play&nbsp;Apple BooksInternational orders:Amazon.com Reviews (6): A highly orginal and absorbing read. Coming Down is a unique and gripping tale of sex and drugs and.....sky-diving, with a bit of rock and roll for good measure. This is a highly entertaining book as you follow the rise and fall (or possibly fall and fall) of a young man sucked into the violent and destructive world of international drug-dealing. A highly enjoyable, roller-coaster of a read. Michael Hamilton Rock &amp; Roll references to keep the sharp eyed music fan smiling ……and sex and drugs as well! A right good read about a man gone wrong. The Blue Star It is compulsive reading. Quite a tough subject but a real page-turner. And incredibly well-researched. A very good book. Sara Eppel Best book I have read in a while. Coming Down is a gripping and nail-biting read up until the very (unpredictable and unexpected) end. The descriptive writing made every extreme situation relatable forming an unlikely affinity and support for the protagonist despite him being a very questionable character. This book is exciting, anxiety inducing and a unique read. I highly recommend it. DH The novel combines a fast paced story about an amoral drug dealer with a passion for skydiving and living life to excess with contemplation about the meaning of falling. It is beautifully written, in parts funny, nerve-wracking even shocking but at its heart, it is a deeply intelligent book. I loved it. C Thomas A fantastic book, it’s exciting, funny but also clever. Story telling at its best. At the centre is the high rolling lifestyle of a drug dealer but his rapidly unfolding story is linked to beautiful and lyrical passages about skydiving and all the ramifications of falling. Wonderful writing. I couldn’t put the book down and highly recommend it. Becky S https://mbhowe.com/The-Man-in-the-Street-available-now Tue, 26 Jun 2018 10:51:57 +0000 Martin Howe https://mbhowe.com/The-Man-in-the-Street-available-now THE MAN IN THE STREET The Man in the Street is about betrayal and the failings of the British political class. In this story nobody escapes their families, background and the state of the age in which they live. The novel is set in Britain in two distinct eras: the nineteen thirties, a time of economic depression, Fascist Blackshirts, mass rallies, charismatic leadership, oratory and public violence; and the contemporary world of economic insecurity, grey leadership, soundbites, personal contracts, and private violence. The times appear different, but their consequences for the generations that live through them are equally damning and frighteningly similar. <img width="3648" height="2736" width_o="3648" height_o="2736" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4b115abd51e1cf1222389335765a39ea74e4f92a5c8f4465a4fec5711f53b264/P1016288.jpg" data-mid="27125149" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/4b115abd51e1cf1222389335765a39ea74e4f92a5c8f4465a4fec5711f53b264/P1016288.jpg" /><img width="4032" height="3024" width_o="4032" height_o="3024" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ce28f93e96a123e702ad7ac3d33748b5632ed0d71639b17a6275e85733d0c1c5/IMG_2637.jpeg" data-mid="55917400" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ce28f93e96a123e702ad7ac3d33748b5632ed0d71639b17a6275e85733d0c1c5/IMG_2637.jpeg" /><img width="1200" height="1600" width_o="1200" height_o="1600" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2e0b6343cd2fcb43ad3a0d5354d80f2d5bf3b78529f8c7c499914a5fdd6e9fea/38270b43-a6ec-4fdc-82bd-bd807fda6f2e.jpeg" data-mid="74020509" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/2e0b6343cd2fcb43ad3a0d5354d80f2d5bf3b78529f8c7c499914a5fdd6e9fea/38270b43-a6ec-4fdc-82bd-bd807fda6f2e.jpeg" /> <img width="1689" height="2669" width_o="1689" height_o="2669" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c6753e21c60efb58e4f7118a1d3b1969b6b50baf223344c10999f7e52e805965/HoweNoText.gif" data-mid="37157684" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/c6753e21c60efb58e4f7118a1d3b1969b6b50baf223344c10999f7e52e805965/HoweNoText.gif" /> The Man in the Street follows the lives of two men Tony Cox and his grandson David Coxon-Dyet. Tony Cox becomes a fascist in the 1930s, swept up from unemployment in a working class northern town to rise through the ranks of the British Union of Fascists, before being interned in the Second World War. After his release he re-invents himself and buries his past from everyone, including the one person who truly loves him, his grandson. He believes he is succeeding, only to be exposed by a violent secret from his past, that even he didn’t know he had. David Coxon-Dyet is a family man, married with two children. He is a moderately successful middle manager, facing redundancy, as his insurance company “re-engineers” itself under a dynamic new Chief Executive. David thought the world of his grandfather, who had provided a refuge&nbsp;from his overbearing family. He knew nothing about his past, but as his own personal life collapses around him the awful truth about his grandfather is revealed. David is overwhelmed by a profound sense of betrayal. In the end secrets from the past betray both men and each finds catharsis through violence. <img width="3648" height="2736" width_o="3648" height_o="2736" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2abb9838ee0d698faf2353df7d9bca781b6fe0f64bef3275ed8c0fb5e7a4f02d/P1016297.jpg" data-mid="27127787" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/2abb9838ee0d698faf2353df7d9bca781b6fe0f64bef3275ed8c0fb5e7a4f02d/P1016297.jpg" /> <img width="3648" height="2736" width_o="3648" height_o="2736" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/007eb2290033b8504fe758f6fb0327401d2393cde27a7c21ec3f016964454930/P1016289.jpg" data-mid="27128446" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/007eb2290033b8504fe758f6fb0327401d2393cde27a7c21ec3f016964454930/P1016289.jpg" /> <img width="3648" height="2736" width_o="3648" height_o="2736" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2d87b5e065186020a657a9eb566509dfb278bfaaff4a112e12684e226ce28cc0/P1016304.jpg" data-mid="27125140" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/2d87b5e065186020a657a9eb566509dfb278bfaaff4a112e12684e226ce28cc0/P1016304.jpg" /> <img width="3648" height="2736" width_o="3648" height_o="2736" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ee299c37d0bbcfa02e982e0af9e9ed612b2aac06d67ccb27dc754c3a79b9ad02/P1016306.jpg" data-mid="27658261" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ee299c37d0bbcfa02e982e0af9e9ed612b2aac06d67ccb27dc754c3a79b9ad02/P1016306.jpg" /> <img width="3648" height="2736" width_o="3648" height_o="2736" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d5bfb3fb83b0d0b173d54e0e2f0a4cbd81fce37c526f4052b3fa7510c437b398/P1016314.jpg" data-mid="27125132" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d5bfb3fb83b0d0b173d54e0e2f0a4cbd81fce37c526f4052b3fa7510c437b398/P1016314.jpg" /> <img width="3648" height="2736" width_o="3648" height_o="2736" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/91e40439175f214c2f8515391dc9f2dfffc7b3db12cd8554d5f8df9d65bb4029/P1016300.jpg" data-mid="27125143" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/91e40439175f214c2f8515391dc9f2dfffc7b3db12cd8554d5f8df9d65bb4029/P1016300.jpg" /> <img width="3648" height="2736" width_o="3648" height_o="2736" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/15894e850b3d048dd8494e8576eda26e327936ab31d322be9489181d6938f640/P1016290.jpg" data-mid="27125148" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/15894e850b3d048dd8494e8576eda26e327936ab31d322be9489181d6938f640/P1016290.jpg" /> <img width="2557" height="1858" width_o="2557" height_o="1858" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/722894cb46d4efb69c414504e656954899e554f1ca6df1e2903bac3c48ce7cfe/Howe_FC.gif" data-mid="37785840" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/722894cb46d4efb69c414504e656954899e554f1ca6df1e2903bac3c48ce7cfe/Howe_FC.gif" /> <img width="4032" height="3024" width_o="4032" height_o="3024" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7014cd5f9b9b8e5768c6fde524faebe2074d72d9a53635c8f840c64414b529a6/IMG_1768.jpeg" data-mid="45080124" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7014cd5f9b9b8e5768c6fde524faebe2074d72d9a53635c8f840c64414b529a6/IMG_1768.jpeg" /> “The Man in the Street is an excellent novel with strong themes, convincing characterisation and a pleasantly clear prose.” - Michael Thomas Click to order: Troubador Publishing Bookshop Waterstones Blackwell’s Book Depository Amazon £9.99 • ISBN: 9781789018165 Buy as an ebook: AmazonGoogle PlayApple Books International orders: Amazon.com Reviews (6): A timely account of ordinary men and women drawn to activism by Mosley’s black shirts in the 1930’s. Against the backdrop of polarisation in our politics, this novel, based on a true story, sets out how ordinary people can be swept into right wing politics. Tense and gripping, it is an essential read for anyone concerned about the rise of populism around the world. Deborah Mattinson Exciting, interesting and thought-provoking. A really gripping story with great character development and a great concluding end. I really enjoyed reading this book. DH The story of how a few questionable decisions can lead to some far-reaching consequences. I thoroughly enjoyed how the storylines twisted and turned throughout, reaching to a nail-biting conclusion. The author encapsulates the reader through great vivid imagery, that portray everything the characters are thinking and experiencing. I'd recommend the book to anyone interested in the political landscape of the 1930's. Jack R A page turner.&nbsp;The 80th anniversary of the start of WW2 this month was an appropriate point to read this mystery, spanning the period from 1930s to the turn of this century, and dealing with the rise of British Fascist Party under Mosley. The menace and violence of this movement is well described and a constant thread. Characters are brought to life empathetically. The plot flip flops from pre/ war period to the late 1990s giving an intriguing interplay between protagonists and revealing the detail of the little publicised history of internment of Nazi sympathisers and BFP members. It seems fearfully prescient given the political and socio economic climate in the U.K. today. The tension continues to an unusual end. I thoroughly enjoyed what I would, unhesitatingly, call a page turner which I read over 2 evenings. S &amp; P It’s excellent. Another page turner from Martin Howe. Well worth the read. Sara Eppel. &nbsp; A must read! This is a really enjoyable and gripping novel. The two intertwined stories of the 1930s and 1990s come together brilliantly at the end. It’s wonderfully written, with humour and drama. But what struck me most, apart from the spot on characterisation and clever plot line, was how shockingly familiar it sounded to current right-wing populism. Becky S. https://mbhowe.com/White-Linen-available-now Tue, 26 Jun 2018 10:51:56 +0000 Martin Howe https://mbhowe.com/White-Linen-available-now WHITE LINEN Betrayed by their families and the Church, five Irish women were condemned to a lifetime labouring in a convent laundry. Together they made it through. White Linen is the story of the truth tearing their friendships apart. The novel explores the relationship between individuals and a society which sets great store by appearances and moral codes of behaviour. It exposes the corrupting influence such constraints can have at all levels of society and on many of the people concerned. <img width="1630" height="1963" width_o="1630" height_o="1963" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9e955e0e85fd90253ec98b6cdefce8343941bd61843d1867808236ff590d523b/Howe_NOTEXT-copy.jpg" data-mid="26315681" border="0" data-scale="85" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/9e955e0e85fd90253ec98b6cdefce8343941bd61843d1867808236ff590d523b/Howe_NOTEXT-copy.jpg" /> <img width="3648" height="2736" width_o="3648" height_o="2736" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d0f4300ab9a7b02c4f8767ed07c63a3c668f3135afa786b9eee208f21041fe07/P9013817-2.jpg" data-mid="26316013" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d0f4300ab9a7b02c4f8767ed07c63a3c668f3135afa786b9eee208f21041fe07/P9013817-2.jpg" /> The action is centred around the closure in Dublin in the mid-1990’s of the last remaining “Magdalen Laundry” - where women who had “transgressed” moral boundaries were sent. It focuses on the recollections of four of the “Magdalen women”, who have spent the best part of their lives confined there, working for no pay. The women are having a final drink in a local bar before going their separate ways, some to live with relatives they barely know, some remaining in the convent . The emotions of leave-taking prompt an outpouring of reminiscences that are profoundly shocking. Details emerge of why they were sent to the “laundry”, of the lies and deceits that saw them shut away and abandoned by family and friends, often at an early age. Surprising themselves the women reveal secrets that fundamentally change everything they believed about themselves and their so-called “friends”. Relationships that have endured for decades are fractured, new bitter-sweet alliances are briefly formed, and everyone emerges in a different light. “White Linen is a brilliantly interwoven story of a group of remarkable characters. The emotional impact of the novel is powerful. And the last line is a stunning surprise.” - Carole Blake, author of “From Pitch to Publication” “Martin Howe does a great job of getting inside the heads of the women and in conveying the period details with power and strength.” - Marianne Gunn O’Connor <img width="3559" height="2575" width_o="3559" height_o="2575" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a000a8dbb3bb7a5b6a7df3232e5fc2df9e9a4a2a6a401bc6326fde71124a69d7/Howe_Full-Cover.jpg" data-mid="26312410" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a000a8dbb3bb7a5b6a7df3232e5fc2df9e9a4a2a6a401bc6326fde71124a69d7/Howe_Full-Cover.jpg" /> Click to order: Troubador Publishing Bookshop Waterstones Blackwell’s Book Depository Amazon&nbsp; £8.99 • ISBN: 9781789015966 Buy as an ebook: AmazonGoogle PlayApple Books International orders: Amazon.com &nbsp; REVIEWS (16): I can still remember the women’s stories two years after reading Howe’s beautifully written novel. Howe is able to capture the dehumanizing horror that young women endured with an unwanted pregnancy not that long ago. Equally tragic was how these women were treated later in life when the convent they had been locked up in allowed them to leave. At this point they had acquired few skills with which to find employment or to survive on. - Margaret Monaghan A great read shining a light on a terrible injustice - Excellent characterisation and a sympathetic, credible portrayal of the women whose lives were destroyed by one of the greatest injustices in recent history. This well crafted novel tells the story through the eyes of those who were let down and abused by the institutions that they most trusted. - D S Mattinson A moving and vividly told story. Highly recommended - I loved this book. Initially I’d been wary as to whether we needed another story about the Magdalen Laundries but the premise of the final closure of one of these places ( so late!) and the dispersal of 5 women whose lives were so cruelly diminished gives this book an original angle. The characters are beautifully drawn and their stories totally believable. The writing has some of the feel&nbsp;of Graham Swift in its capacity to conjure up a sense of time and place so vividly - it drew me in and kept me in thrall till the final page with its moving revelation. A testament to the power of love, friendship and the human spirit, despite everything. I highly recommend this book. - P C Kelly “Outstanding!” - Kathryn Selvaggio “What a wonderful surprise - this book was recommended to me and I loved it. The women’s individuality shine through, their stories are very moving and universal and still very relevant today. Their relationships with each other reveal their characters as well as the cumulative effects of their years working in the convent laundry. And there is a great plot twist at the end. It is beautifully written and pitch perfect for the times it covers including the period details. A great debut novel and I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.” - Becky S “Martin Howe perfectly captures the stultifyingly narrow world, tedious and harsh conditions endured by five women forced to live a life of servitude in the Magdalen Laundries. Despite having spent their entire adult lives working in this environment under the punitive eye of the Catholic church, with very little outside stimulus or freedom to expand their lives, the different characters of the women come to life and are beautifully drawn. By slowly revealing their background stories, we are given a glimpse of the lives they might have led, of lost opportunities. White Linen is a moving account of one of our history’s great injustices.” -&nbsp;Jane Clargo “Fictional account of the lives of women in a Magdalen laundry. White Linen vividly tells the stories of five women whose lives have been shaped by cruelty, hypocrisy, and above all betrayal. Martin Howe's great accomplishment is to take the reader beneath the surface experiences of each character to the inner world of the thoughts and feelings of those forced to survive in a hidden world made for them by others. How do you cope with the sheer injustice of a lifetime's institutionalisation? Although fiction, the narrative has the feel of closely observed social history. An extraordinary novel which opens up a big social issue. Would be great for book club discussion.” - Peter B&nbsp; “I found this book painful to read at times. Martin Howe gets right to the soul of the women of whom he writes. I saw myself and others and it took me back to past which was hard to relive. I highly recommend this book. To me it was more factual than fiction.” - Terry Simard “What a great read! I loved the imagery portrayed at the Magdalen Laundry, I felt like a fly on the wall as it actually happened. The book details an eye-opening and astounding account of the trials and tribulations that actually happened to women who challenged the social boundaries not so long ago. I enjoyed the character development as the story progressed and at times the author created some real nail-biting scenes.” - Jack R “A gripping, shocking story.The women in the book are strong, flawed, very human characters who end up together in the laundry due to prejudiced society. Their individual stories are gripping and the story follows their different fates after the laundry closes. I enjoyed this book very much.” - Diane Lee “Highly recommended. White Linen drew me in from the beginning and I found it difficult to put down. I had no idea that such injustice towards young, vulnerable women occurred in our society until very recently! You can sympathise with each woman's different story and their relationships with each other. I found that the ending was very satisfying and tied all the different stories together. Would highly suggest giving White Linen a read. A very impressive debut novel!” DH “Highly recommended, a great read, once started you can’t put it down! &nbsp;A Fascinating, sensitively written, well researched insight into the diverse and shocking lives of 5 of the Magdalen laundry girls. The novel begs the question of how did this ever come about? and how does an institution, like the catholic church, ever allow this to continue until the 1990s?&nbsp;Another incident of modern day slavery in our lifetime. A must read book.” - Katy (Goodreads) “Brilliant! An amazing first novel. The clever plot structure weaves the stories of several women together to reveal the truth of these Catholic institutions - contradicting the perceived outlook that they were meant to help the women as opposed to punishing them.” - Frank (Goodreads) “I loved this book. I got completely drawn in and couldn’t put the book down. The writing is wonderfully descriptive. It is sad, bitter sweet, funny but with real moments of page turning tension.” &nbsp;-&nbsp;Charlie Thorpe “An enthralling book; emotionally-charged and beautifully written page-turner with an unexpected twist at the end. I was completely drawn into the lives, feelings and suffering of the five main female characters.&nbsp;Sadly, I do find it unbelievable that there were convent laundries operating until fairly recently; and the way the women were treated by their family and friends feels still relevant today.&nbsp;A strong recommendation!” - Rios “Compelling book, wonderful characterisation - I loved this book. It is so beautifully crafted, with excellent characterisation. It's a serious, and disturbing subject, but so well written. Looking forward to any further books by Martin Howe, someone to look out for I think.” - Amazon customer