“Wine hath drowned more men than the sea.” – Thomas Fuller
I am reading a book by Pauline McLynn at the moment, in case you can’t place the name, she played the inimitable Mrs Doyle in “Father Ted”, and has appeared in numerous other film, television and stage roles. Pauline McLynn grew up in Galway, and first started acting while studying history of art at Trinity College, Dublin. She has written several quirky, amusing and whodunit novels (“Summer in the City”; “Right on Time”; Better than a Rest”; Bright Lights and Promises”) and she now divides her time between London and Dublin where she lives with her husband.
The novel I am reading is called “The Woman on the Bus” (published 2005). The bus referred to in the title is the one that runs from Dublin to Limerick in Ireland. This public means of transportation never troubled the inhabitants of the village of Kilbrody much, until a mystery woman steps out of it, marches into the pub and drinks herself into unconsciousness. She finally does wake up, several days later, and discovers that not only Charlie Finn (the publican who put her to bed) but the whole village are talking about her. Her mystery disrupts the village and although the book is full of humour, it touches on some serious topics: Alcoholism, infidelity, loss…
This author’s writing style is tender and charming with the Irish warmth of a perfect Summer’s day. I am enjoying the book immensely, and even though I have not finished it yet I can recommend it wholeheartedly.
You can hear Ms McLynn in a BBC interview, talking about this book, here.
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